Putting The Pieces Back Together
by Sakoshi Choco
Summary: Years ago, the one he loved, Mikan and his friend, Ruka went missing. Five years later, he finds Ruka taking care of a girl identical to Mikan but she doesn't remember who he is...Trying to piece her memories together, they begin to fall in love again.NxM
1. Meeting Mikan

My second fanfic with my fav pairing, Natsume/Mikan! PLEASE REVIEW!

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~**~

"_Natsume! Please let me steal your Alice!" Mikan desperately cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks._

"…_No! That means I'll have to leave! Who will protect you from the Dangerous Abilities Class?!" Natsume shook his head._

"…_I don't want you to die." With that, Mikan outstretched her hand and placed it on Natsume's forehead. _

_Mikan wrapped her arms around Natsume's neck, "I love you." _

_~**~_

_5 years later…_

Natsume stared at the red pebble in the palm of his hand. His fire Alice stone. "Mikan…"

After Natsume left the academy from 'loss' of Alice, Ruka had told Natsume that Mikan had died mysteriously. No body was even sure if she was really dead, the news had only been announced by the teachers. There was no exact proof. But Natsume has this feeling that she was still alive.

Natsume played with the handle on the limo in thought. After he heard Mikan had 'died', he decided to be a singer to have enough money to find her.

Natsume stepped out of the limo. The most peaceful place in the world where he wouldn't be engulfed in fan girls. A small and unsturdy house stood in the clearing of the forest. Mikan's former house.

"Please…please….let me see her. Just one last time…" Natsume whispered hopefully, closing his eyes.

Suddenly something jabbed into his eye. "Ow!" Afterwards, everything seemed a little fuzzy to his eyes. Blurry. In front of him was a brownish figure. The figure finally came into view. A brown-haired girl with large brown eyes. "…Mi…Mikan?"

Natsume couldn't believe his eyes. In front of him was Mikan. He chuckled and rubbed his eyes. He must have been imagining it. "Heh."

But the girl was still standing there, a worried expression on her face. "…A-A-Are you okay?! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I just…uh…I'm so sor-"

Without thinking, Natsume threw his arms around her. "Mikan! Its really you!!!" He violently squished her with his strength. Tears welled up in his eyes, "….You're here…" Natsume looked down at the girl's hand, an umbrella. That must have been what poked him in the eye.

The girl struggled out of the boy's grasp. She had a shocked and horrified expression on her face, "W-W-What do you want?"

"Mikan! Its me, Natsume!" He gripped her shoulders and shook her.

The girl narrowed her eyes in thought, "…I'm sorry…but I don't know someone named Natsume. You must be looking for the wro-"Natsume's eyes widened, "W-What?"

"Heh. I'm surprised you know my name but I'm sure I've never met you before…Sorry."

"Remember? We went to Gakuen Alice. You have to be Mikan! You look exactly like her!"

"I…uh…"

Natsume couldn't believe it, Mikan must be joking with him. "Stop lying. Fine then, if you're not Mikan, pay me.""W-What?!"

"You poked me in the eye. It hurt. I'm suing you. Pay me." Natsume snapped sternly. If Mikan was joking, it wasn't funny.

The girl whimpered, "…I'm sorry…about that…How much?"

Natsume's body tensed, "Y-You're serious?" She was serious. "…Ten thousand dollars."

"…HOW AM I GOING TO GIVE YOU THAT MUCH MONEY?! AND JUST FOR POKING YOU IN THE EYE?!"

"What? That's such a small amount of money. You don't know how great my power over the public is. Now, pay up."

"…I…don't have that much money!""Then you're going to have to work for the rest of your lives getting it…" The girl burst into tears, "No! Please!"

A smirk spread across Natsume's face. "Fine."

"Y-You're letting me go?" Mikan smiled hopefully.

"No. You and I are going to make a deal." _'If you can't remember then I'll make you remember.'_

"…W-What deal?"

"You're going to marry me for a year." '_With force.'_

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_Heh. The first chapter wasn't that good! I'll try to update as soon as possible! PLEASE REVIEW!_

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	2. Another Bet

Ch.2 - The Marriage

"_Mikan, steal his Alice."_

_Mikan hesitated, she shook her head. In front of Mikan and Principle Kuonji was a helpless dying student, "Please…I beg you. Don't take my Alice away from me…Please…"_

"_Do it." snapped Principle Kuonji sternly._

"_No!" _

"_I DEMAND YOU TO STEAL HIS ALICE!"_

"_N-No! _

_Kuonji's hand struck across Mikan's face, "You know what the punishment is, Mikan Sakura." _

_Mikan fell onto her knees, "N-No! If you do anything to Natsu-" _

_The principle kicked Mikan's stomach which made her collapse, "Shut up and steal it. You never know how fast the disease is spreading through Natsume's body." _

_Mikan glared up at the principal, she struck out her hand to touch his forehead but suddenly Luna managed to snatch Mikan's hand which was only inches away from the principal's head. _

"_Mikan! How dare you try to steal the principle's Alice?!" Luna shouted angrily, "This is the fifth time this week!" _

_Luna grabbed Mikan by the scalp and dragged her out. Mikan kicked and screamed but she knew nobody could hear her. No body was going to help her. Now she knew how Natsume had suffered while at the academy._

_Luna shoved Mikan into a dark room, making Mikan's back fall onto something sharp, piercing, and extremely painful. This was the room Natsume had been in when still at the academy. The door slammed shut, blocking out the slightest bit of sunlight. Mikan got off the sharp stab she had landed on and touched her back. Blood. Lots of blood. _

"_Natsume…" Mikan managed to choke out between sobs, "NATSUME!" _

_~**~_

"What?!" Mikan's eyes widened, "M-Marry?!"

Mikan's face flushed, "W-Why?!"

Natsume shrugged casually, "…Because I love you."

Mikan's body froze stiff and her face grew beet red, "…You…Me…B-B-But I-I-I don't even know you!!!"

Natsume glared at her, "You're marrying me. I'm forcing you. There. You don't have a choice."

Mikan backed away, preparing to run but Natsume gripped her arm tight.

Natsume smirked, "I'm never going to let go of this hand."

"C-Creep! Pervert!" Mikan struggled but his hand was still there.

"Get in the limo."

"L-Limo?!" Mikan's eyes twinkled with excitement and she stopped struggling, "Y-You have a limo?!""Yeah…I do." Natsume pulled Mikan behind him, stumbling across the forest pathway.

"L-Let me go!" Mikan used her teeth and gnawed on Natsume's shirt sleeve and bit into his arm but he wouldn't let go.

Mikan took a deep breathe before screaming at the top of her lungs, "KIDNAP!!!!!!!!!!!! RAPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HELP MEEEE!!!!!!!!!!"

Natsume rolled his eyes before knocking Mikan down onto the ground, completely losing conscious.

~**~

Natsume arrived at his white mansion. He carried Mikan in and placed her on his bed.

His butler came in, surprised but not questioning about the girl.

"Yukito, call my lawyer. I want a marriage contract. Now."

The butler bowed and left the room.

Mikan turned and grunted in her sleep before opening her eyelids, seeing the boy in front of her. Before she could scream, Natsume already clasped her mouth. "You and I are getting married whether you like it or not."

Mikan shook her head and laughed, "You're so persistent." Mikan gave up, there was probably no way she would be able to escape this boy, "Tell me about you."

"I'm a celebrity. I'm rich. My name is Natsume Hyuga."

Mikan smiled wide, "Y-You're THE NATSUME HYUGA?!!!!"

"What? You just knew right now?"

"Well…you don't act like anything like you act on interview shows and on your reality show."

Changing the subject, Natsume asked her the more important stuff. "Mikan…Do you remember ANYTHING about me?"

Mikan honestly shook her head.

"Do you remember Hotaru?"

"Hotaru? Never heard of that person." Natsume's eyes widened, "Y-You don't?" Natsume started to worry, "Do you remember Ruka? Koko? Perm? Inchou? Gakuen Alice?"

Mikan shook her head, "No. I don't." She thought as hard as she could, "But when I think about your name, it's so familiar. I feel like I know you but then I know I really don't. In my memory, I've never met you."

"Mikan. Lets make another bet."

Mikan groaned, "What? You want me to be pregnant now?"

Natsume shook his head, "That's for later." He smirked.

Mikan stared at him in horror.

"In three months, if I can make you remember your past…You will remember all about me and you have to stay with me for the rest of your life…But if you don't remember then I'll let you go. You and I will destroy the marriage contract."

Mikan thought about it for a minute before she nodded, "You're on!"


	3. Mikan's Boyfriend

Thank you everyone who reviewed! Thank you so much!!! In the first chapter where I wrote Naruto instead of Natsume, Hahaha, I changed that! Thank you to the people who pointed that out! PLEASE REVIEW

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_"__Mikan…Please. Let's leave the academy together." _

_Mikan turned around to see Ruka, folding on her wrist, "…I'm so sorry. I cant." _

_Ruka shook his head, "You have to! …F-Forget about Natsume…Forget about the academy. I'll take you anywhere you want. Just…"_

_"__I-I can't! I just can't! What do you think Persona would do to Natsu-" _

_"__What he does to Natsume…is his own business…I cant stand and watch you suffer!"_

_"…__What happened to Natsume being your best friend?" Mikan whispered._

_Ruka flinched, "…I…I don't know anymore….But what I do know is that I really love you."_

_Mikan shook her head and ran away, pushing the hand from her wrist, "Thank you." _

_Ruka stared at the ground, "…I wish…You would just forget about Natsume. I wish you would love me instead."_

~**~

"Natsume Hyuga! Is it true this lady here is your girlfriend?"

"How long have you been dating?"

"Do you have any plans for marriage? Children?"

A gaggle of admirers and reporters surrounded Mikan and Natsume. Natsume wrapped his hand around Mikan's waist. Mikan had a nervous yet excited expression on while Natsume put on a fake sweet smile, "Yes. Mikan and I have been dating for three years. We're planning on marriage."

Mikan chuckled nervously, "Uh…yeah!"

Natsume leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Make a scene and you'll regret it."

Mikan rolled her eyes. This guy was tricking everyone in Japan except her.

Many female fans glared and pointed at Mikan.

"She's not that pretty."

"What's so special about her?"

"Ugh! She's kind of ugly. What does he see in her?"

Mikan's eyebrow twitched angrilly, "Wha-"

Natsume clasped his hand over Mikan's mouth, "I'm pretty sure she's much more special than any of you." He shot at the fans.

Mikan peered over at Natsume and blushed, "N-Natsume, that could ruin your reputation."Natsume whispered back, "You're the reason I got this job."

~**~

"You have a boyfriend?!" Natsume slammed his fists against the table.

Mikan stared at the ground, guiltily. "Y-Yes.."

"Who the hell is he?!"

"W-Why are you so angry about it. You're just marrying me because I look like a girl you loved!"

"…That's not true."

"Why should it matter to you who my boyfriend is?!" Mikan snapped back.

"Stupid."

"Idiot!"

"Bastard."

"Asshole!" Mikan was furious but when she cooled down, she laughed. "W-When I'm with you. All my worries just go awa-"

Suddenly loud knocking was heard at the door. Natsume trudged lazily over to the door. He opened it to see an angry boy with blond hair. Natsume could recognize him anywhere. Ruka Nogi. Natsume hadn't seen Ruka ever since Ruka told Natsume about Mikan's death. Ruka and Natsume didn't say anything, they just stared at each other. But Natsume noticed something strange, Ruka was glaring at him.

"Yuki! You're here!"

Natsume turned back to look at Mikan, "Y-You know him?!"Mikan nodded happily, "He's my boyfriend! We've been living together every since my family died in a fire and I lost my memo-"

Natsume glared at Ruka, "Y-You lied to me? To her?!"

Mikan stared at Ruka in horror, "Yuki? What is he talking about?"

Ruka stared down onto the ground, "I'm sorry…But…I don't know who you are. I'm just here to bring my girlfriend back."

With that, Ruka's fist came across Natsume's face.

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Third chapter finished! Yay! I'm new to fanfiction so updating and posting is hard for me!!!! But then again, I'm just a natural idiot. I hope my spelling and grammar is correct. ^ ^

I'm in 7th grade and all the teachers ever to is toss math homework at us!!! I'm so busy! So right now, I'm secretly posting this story when the teacher isn't reading over my shoulder! PLEASE REVIEW!


	4. Grandpa

Yay! Review! I love it when I get reviews! I've been updating really quickly but after this chapter, I'm going to wait for more reviews until I post Chapter 5. SO PLEASE REVIEW!!!

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"_Hotaru…I want to go see Natsume…"_

_Hotaru sighed but then smiled, "Okay. Promise you'll come back. You got that, idiot?" Hotaru put a purple colored vest on Mikan. "You should be able to escape the school with these inventions." Hotaru placed earmuffs over Mikan's ears, "Remember."_

_Mikan nodded, "Of course!" Hotaru gave Mikan a boost across the academy gate. _

"_Bye Hotaru. Thank you so much!"_

_Hotaru watched as Mikan ran away down the sidewalk until she was just a small speck in the distance. Hotaru suddenly felt a strange feeling inside her. "Why do I feel like I wont see you again, Mikan?" _

_Ruka suddenly walked from up behind, "…She's escaping…To see Natsume right?"_

_Hotaru didn't say anything. She trusted Ruka. Secretly, she really liked him but he liked Mikan. _

"_Ruka…Will you please go and make sure Mikan is safe? I have a bad feeling about this." _

_Ruka looked over at Hotaru, "Why don't you go too?"_

_Hotaru shook her head, "If anything happened to Mikan. I wouldn't know what to do about it…It's better for me if I don't see it. " _

_Little did Hotaru and Ruka know that in one of the windows of the academy, in the Dangerous Abilities was Luna watching them._

_***_

_Mikan ran across the streets of the busy city. Mikan had promised to see Natsume at her former home in the forest. She took a bus to the area of her home. Once she arrived at the forest, all she thought of was Natsume. In the distant beside her house was a boy with dark purplish hair. "NATSU-!!!"_

_Before she could scream out his name, a girl had shoved her from behind. Mikan fell hard onto the ground. She turned around to see Luna Koizumi._

_Luna's eyes suddenly widened in furious anger, "I HATE YOU! I HATE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU! Just like your stupid mother, you just had to take my place as principle's favorite! WHY?! I hate it when you smile! I hate it when you're happy! I just wish you and everyone you love would all just suffer!" _

_Mikan eyes widened as Luna reached our her hand to touch Mikan, "I'm going to steal your soul, you bastard!" _

_Mikan backed away quickly before she reached the side of a cliff. A cliff that was tall enough to kill someone. "Luna! Please! Don't!"_

_Before Luna could steal Mikan's soul, Mikan lost her balance…_

_At the last moment, Luna thought of Mikan's mother. The only person who was her first friend in the entire world when everyone else turned their heads away from her because of her Alice. It was so lonely until she met Yuka. At the last moment, Luna regretted it. Why did she hate Mikan? Why did she hate Yuka? All this time, they hadn't done nothing wrong. It was just Luna who was jealous that they were not as isolated as she was. Luna desperately reached her hand out for Mikan, this time not to steal her Alice. But to help her, "MIKAN!!!" _

_But it was too late, Mikan had already fallen…_

~**~

Natsume glared at Ruka, "Y-You lied to me? To her?!"

Mikan stared at Ruka in horror, "Yuki? What is he talking about?"

Ruka stared down onto the ground, "I'm sorry…But…I don't know who you are. I'm just here to bring my girlfriend back."

With that, Ruka's fist came across Natsume's face, "What kind of person are you? Kidnapping a girl and forcing her to marry you?!"

Natsume couldn't believe what was going on. Ruka. His best friend just punched him. He lied to Mikan and to him. Why?

Ruka ran past Natsume and held Mikan's hand and led her out, "Come on, Mikan. Lets go."

But when the reached the entrance of the house, Mikan pushed Ruka's hand away. "Ruka…I…want to stay."

"W-What?! W-W-Why?" A feeling of worry spread through Ruka's body.

"…You told me I lost my memory in the fire…Maybe this has something to do with my past. I want to know. I want to know my former relationship with Natsume."

Ruka hesitated. He didn't know what to say, "M-Mikan…I…uh…don't think that's a good ide-"

Mikan took Ruka's hand and smiled shyly, "Don't worry, Yuki. You're the only one I like."

"Mikan. I trust you." Ruka peered over at Natsume. _'I'm sorry, Natsume. Forgive me.'_

Ruka waved Mikan goodbye before leaving the mansion. Natsume stood motionless. He felt like crying but he didn't. Those were supposed to be the words that Mikan had to say to HIM, not Ruka, "That doesn't mean I'll give up though. You will remember. Everything. And when you do, maybe then you'll believe that everything you've been told have been lies."

~**~

"Natsume! Where are we?"

Natsume removed the blindfold and let Mikan see her former house, the house she had lived with grandpa. A small house in the middle of the peaceful forest.

Mikan peered over at the house, in frustration. "Why…did you bring me here?"

"This…was your house before you came to the academy. You lived her with your grandpa."

"Wha-? My grandpa? But Yuki sai-"

Natsume placed his hands softly on Mikan's shoulders, "Listen to me. You have to believe me. All the things he told you. Those were all lies."

Mikan shook her head, not believing it.

Just then, an old crippled man stepped out of the house. He was wrinkled and extremely skinny. The man was bald with a long beard dangling from his chin. "…Who's….there?"

He was blind, his blank grey eyes stared.

Natsume brought Mikan to the old man, "That's…your grandpa…After you left him, he went blind. He's been searching for you for five years."

Mikan looked over at the old man. No. She searched her memory but she couldn't find him. But somewhere, there was a jab of pain in her heart, "My…grandpa?"

"M-Mikan? Is….that…you?" The old man used his cane as support, limping towards the sound of the voice he had been praying to hear. He ran his hands over Mikan's face, feeling around Mikan's features. The old man burst into tears, "It's….you!"

Mikan didn't know what to do. For some reason, she starting crying too. She couldn't stop them. She didn't know why she was crying either. "I-I_I'm…so…. sorry…b-but you have the wrong person."

She backed away from the old man, wiping the tears that was now streaming her face. "As long as I can remember…I never did have a family. They died in a fire."

The old man wiped his own tears, "Natsume….Why did you….bring her?"

"I…think she's Mikan Sakura. Something's happened to her memory. She can't remember anything after she left the academy."

"…Have…you…ever….thought….that…she…might….not…be Mikan?"

Natsume stood silent. He had never thought about that. He was so obsessed with being reunited with Mikan that he didn't want to think that this girl beside him was not the Mikan he once loved. Just because Ruka was with her wasn't enough proof to show that this girl was Mikan. But this was the closest thing to Mikan Natsume could do.

Natsume turned to Mikan, "…Mikan…Let me hug you."

"W-What?!"

"Just one time…Let me hug you."

Before Mikan could say anything, he had already grabbed her and wrapped his hands around her waist.

"N-N-Natsume! W-What are you doing? Let me go, stupid!"

"Shut up and stay still. I've waited five long years for this." Natsume squeezed her tighter.

When Natsume let Mikan go, she was all red-faced. "T-That was so sudden!" But deep down, Mikan didn't want Natsume to stop hugging her. She just couldn't admit it to herself. She had a boyfriend. Those thoughts shouldn't enter her head…

They both ignored the grinning old man behind them. Natsume suddenly hugged Mikan a second time. This time, he didn't seem to want to let go.

"H-H-Hey! You said you'd only hug me once! Cheater!"

"I lied."

Resting her chin on his shoulder, red-faced Mikan made a goofy smile on the side of her mouth. _'This feeling…is really familiar.'_

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_Do I sometimes make Natsume a little mean? Its Natsume right? I'm sick of reading fanfics where Natsume is sweet and caring and nice. He's the type of guy who doesn't show those kinds of feelings on the outside! _

_In the next chapter...there's going to be HOTARU!_

_Oh and also just to tell you guys...^ ^....I love leaving cliff hangers. Mwa hahahahahaha*choke*hahahahah! _

_PLEASE REVIEW!_

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	5. Thunder

Here is the fifth chapter! PLEASE REVIEW you guys!

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"_MIKAN!!!" _

_But it was too late, Mikan had already fallen…_

_It all happened so suddenly. Mikan fell slowly towards the ground when suddenly an enormous eagle dived after her. But it was still too late. Mikan hit the ground hard, the cracking of her bones could be heard. She lay motionless on the ground. A pool of blood was where her head was. From above, Luna placed her hand over her mouth in horror. "M-Mikan? Are you…okay?"_

_Down where Mikan was, Ruka ran towards her. "MIKAN!!!" Tears seeped through his eye lids, "M-Mikan…"_

_Ruka placed two fingers against her neck to check her pulse. Still breathing but very slowly. Mikan was losing way too much blood. Ruka looked up to see Luna onto her knees, shaking, "W-W-What have I done? WHAT HAVE I DONE?!!!"_

_Luna looked down at Ruka, "R-Ruka, please! Don't bring her back to the academy! What if the principal knows?! What if anyone knows?! DON'T! PLEASE!"_

_Ruka didn't know what to do. He carried the limp Mikan and ran. He didn't know where he was heading. But he made sure he wasn't heading the direction where Natsume was…_

~**~

The thunder outside the mansion pounded against Mikan's ears. She screamed every time a lightning strike. BOOM!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

She covered herself with her bed sheets and tried to use her fingers to plug her ears. She was sixteen but she was still scared of lightning

"NATSUME!!! I'M SCARED!!!!!!!!!"

In the room beside her, she heard Natsume yawn and head towards her room. How could he sleep so soundly?!

"NATSUME!!!!"

Her door flung open, standing in front of it was a tired Natsume. "….You're…scared?" He said in a sleepy tone.

"Y-Yes." Mikan whimpered, covering her head with bed sheets.

In the dark, a wide grin spread across his face.

"Okay then. Good night." Natsume turned away to exit the room. "NATSUME!!!"

Natsume grinned and then turned around. "You called?"

"D-D-DON'T LEAVE ME!!!"

"Why not?" Natsume teased playfully.

"B-B-Because I'm scared!!!" Mikan cried, tears now dripping down her face, "…I-I-I want to be with you!"

After Mikan said those words, she clamped her mouth in embarrassment, her face beet red. Why would she say something like that?!

Natsume smiled and went over to sit on Mikan's bed, in front of her, "For once in a while, you say something cute."

Mikan blushed, "Cute?"Natsume turned away, his face slightly pink. "…Yeah…Whatever."

Natsume placed his hands on Mikan's shoulders and slowly placed her onto the bed. "W-What are you doing?!"

"I'm going to be with you…" Natsume smiled pervertedly, "Through the whole night."

"Wha-?!"

"Just kidding. I'm just going to sleep beside you." Natsume lay down on the bed, tiredly.

They were both silent for a while, both staring at each other in the dark. BOOM!

"EEEEEKKKK!!!!" Without thinking, Mikan scurried over quickly and hugged Natsume's head. "I'm so scared! So scared! So scared!!!"

"Mikan…we got stuck in a haunted house together once."

Mikan calmed down, "Huh?"

"We went to the same academy together. We went into a made-up haunted house. You, me, and….Yuki. Something happened and the haunted house made you and I separated from …Yuki and in the same room. You…were really scared."

Mikan thought about it for a while and then shook her head, "I…don't remember."

"We also slept together like this before…Our hands were stuck together. Heh."

"D-Did you do any perverted things to me?" Mikan asked, worried.

"Of course I did." Natsume used one arm and placed it across Mikan's neck, "I did this."

Mikan shoved Natsume's hand away, "Watch it with the hands, grabby!"

"Oh. And at the haunted house, I used my foot to lift up your skirt. Strawberry fields."

"W-W-What?!"

"Also, another time. I stole your underwear while you were still in them."

"W-W-WHAT?!"

Suddenly in the dark, Natsume lifted something yellow under the bed sheet high up, above his head. It was…

"MY PANTIES!!!" Mikan used her hands to feel what was between her legs…

He…professionally took off her underwear!

Natsume brought the yellow underwear in front of his face. "Hmm…before it was polka dots, then strawberry fields…now…"On the panties was a repeating picture pattern of yellow bananas.

Mikan stood frozen stiff, her expression was unreadable.

Natsume stretched out the neck of his T-shirt and placed the panties inside his white shirt. "There. The fourty fifth addition to my 'Mikan's Underwear Collection."'

"F-F-Forty…fifth?!" Mikan's red face was now glowing bright in the dark room.

"I'll show you my Mikan Underwear sanctuary tomorrow."

"Y-Y-You…."

"But you can only enter with one entry of a panty."

"Y-Y-You…"

"Go to sleep, banana paradise."

"N-N-N….N….N….NAAAAATSUUUUUUMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Within seconds, Natsume's blood was spilt across the carpet floor.

~**~

"Mikan…Today I want you to see another person."

"Who is it?" Mikan shuffled nervously in her chair. So far, nothing. She hadn't remembered a single thing.

Natsume opened the door to the mansion. Outside was a tall and gorgeous girl with very short black hair and large eyes. When she first saw Mikan, tears steamed down her eyes right away, "M-M-Mikan!" She ran over and hugged Mikan tight.

"W-Where were you, you idiot?!" She flicked Mikan hard on the forehead who had a confused expression on her face, "Do you know how much I've been worried?!" the girl kicked Mikan, "You idiot! You idiot!"

Mikan didn't say anything. Seeing this girl made her feel strangely happy yet she didn't know who the girl was. Mikan decided to keep silent until the girl stopped being so emotional.

"Idiot! Stupid!" the girl placed her hands on Mikan's shoulders. Mikan closed her eyes, ready for another hit. But this time, the girl threw her arms around Mikan and cried.

Mikan reacted without thinking and hugged the girl back, "….Hotaru?"

Hotaru suddenly backed away and stared at Mikan with a surprised expression. Natsume's jaw hung wide, "Mikan…How did you know her name?"

Mikan thought about it for a while, "…I don't really know…The words just escaped my lips…" Mikan looked up at the girl, "When she hugged me, I felt so, so, so, so happy! It was like being reunited with someone you really cared about…"

Hotaru calm and indifferent attitude suddenly came back. "…Natsume…Has she…remembered yet?"

Nasume shook his head, "That's the best progress we've heard in three days."

All of a sudden, there was a loud banging across the door. Mikan ran over to open it…Ruka. "Yuki!"

Hotaru stared at the blond boy, "R-Ruka…Is that…you?"

Ruka didn't even bother to look at Hotaru, "Mikan! Please come home!"

Mikan opened her mouth to speak, "But Yuki! I haven't remem-"

Natsume placed his hand in front of Mikan. "Ruka. Leave."

Ruka pushed Natsume's hand away, "Mikan! Every second I'm at home, I can't stand to think you're getting married with another guy! Mikan, lets go home."

Hotaru stared at Ruka in surprise. She looked at Ruka, "Ruka…what's…happened to you?

Natsume glared at Ruka, "Mikan. Don't listen to him. He just doesn't want you to remember."

Mikan suddenly shot an angry look at Ruka, "Yuki! You say you love me…but…why are you stopping me from finding about my past? Do you know how it feels to just wake up and not know who yourself is? I want to know. Why don't you want me to be happy?"

Ruka didn't know what to say, "I…Mikan…"

Natsume stared at the ground, "…He's selfish, Mikan.

Ruka suddenly just turned around and left.

"Yuki!" Mikan called after him but he wouldn't turn around to look at her.

Hotaru held Mikan back. "Mikan. The most important thing you need to do now is to remember your past. Its time for us to really try to put the pieces of your memory back together."

* * *

This is my fav chapter I wrote so far! ^ ^ Please review!

I know lots of guys hate Ruka now but in this fanfic, there will be much more obstacles between Mikan and Natsume!

Hey, I would like to know your guy's opinion. Should I include some Ruka/Mikan momments the next chapter or make it a ANTI-Ruka/Mikan momment? I know there are a lot of Natsume/Mikan fans but there are also some people who like Ruka/Mikan momments. What do you guys think?


	6. First Date

Here is the sixth chapter! THank you for everyone who reviewed! Reviews make me REALLY REALLY happy! I'm updating when I have more reviews! ^_^ I also have LOTS AND LOTS of homework!!!! PLEASE REVIEW!!!

* * *

_Ruka carried the unconscious Mikan, he didn't know where to go. If he took her to the doctor, she would automatically be returned to Gakuen Alice and attempt to see Natsume again. _

_Ruka clenched his fist, "…If I go to hell for this…I would still take Mikan from Natsume…Even if I were to bring pain to my best friend…I would still take Mikan away from Natsume…"_

_Ruka carried Mikan beside a large oak tree and laid her there. Animals surrounded them and bowed their heads. Ruka tore off a piece of cloth from his shirt and used it to wrap Mikan's head to stop the bleeding. Ruka checked Mikan's pulse a second time, she was still breathing. _

_Suddenly, Mikan's eyes started to open. But she was too tired and weak and closed them again, "…Natsume."_

_"M-M-Mikan? Are you alright?" Ruka helped Mikan sit up, "Are you okay?! Where does it hurt?!"_

_Mikan opened her eyes a second time and stared at Ruka. "…Where…am….I?"_

_"W-We're at the forest where your gran-" _

_Mikan looked at Ruka with a confused expression, "Who….are you?" _

_Ruka's eyes widened. '…Even if I go to hell for this…I would still take Mikan from Natsume…Even if I were to bring pain to my best friend…I would still take Mikan away from Natsume…_

_"Um…do you know who I am?"_

_She shook her head slowly._

_Ruka's hand started to shake, "Y-You don't remember?"_

_"…No."_

_"Do you know what Gakuen Alice is? Who Hotaru is? …Do you know who Natsume is?"_

_She frowned in thought before shaking her head. _

_Amnesia? Ruka hesitated. If Mikan lost her memory from the fall then she forgot Natsume…So…she doesn't know who he is. She doesn't love him anymore. Was he really ready? Was he really ready to lie to Mikan for the rest of his life just because he loved her? He would be stopping her from loving the person she really loved. He would also be betraying Natsume as well._

_"Hi…I'm Yuki." Ruka used the cloth to wipe the blood from Mikan's face._

_"H-Hi…Yuki…" _

~**~

"No! You really don't have to!" Mikan's eyes widened as Natsume took her to the largest shopping store in Japan.

Natsume looked over at her, "Do you know who you are? You're the girlfriend of the famous Natsume Hyuga. You cant go around looking like THAT."

Mikan scowled at him but followed him into the store obediently, Hotaru trailing behind.

When Mikan arrived at the stores, her eyes brightened in excitement! "Oh my god! These shoes cost more than my house does!"

Hotaru smiled, "Why don't you go and choose something to get, Mikan."

"B-But I don't have enough money!"

"Don't worry. Someone will pay for it." Hotaru smiled.

"You mean…you'll pay for it?!" Mikan hugged Hotaru's arm.

Hotaru stared at Mikan as if she was stupid, "Why would I do that?"

Natsume sighed, "I'll pay for anything you want, stupid Mikan."

"R-Really?!"

"Yeah….W-Whatever." Natsume turned his head away. He randomly grabbed female clothing until the clothing was piled up to form a small hill. "Here. I'm buying you this."

Mikan stared, her jaw hanging. "Y-Y-You…I….Wha-…."

He threw the entire pile of clothing on top of Mikan. "Here. Take this. This. And this." He threw more articles of clothing at Mikan who was desperately trying to catch them. She laughed happily when suddenly, someone tapped on her shoulder. She turned around to see Ruka Nogi. "Hi Mikan."

Natsume groaned, "Why do you have to show up all the time?"

"…I-It's Mikan's birthday so I uh…" Ruka took out a small red box out of his pocket.

Mikan frowned, "It is?"

Ruka nodded, "Yes it is. I'm taking you on a date today."

Natsume peered at Ruka suspiciously, "Isn't her birthday on Jan-"

Ruka suddenly took Mikan's hand and ran, pulling her behind. "Y-Yuki! Where are we going?"

Ruka didn't say anything, he just tightened his grip on Mikan's wrist. Mikan obediently followed behind him.

Mikan turned around to see Natsume running quickly behind her with an unreadable expression on his face. He looked really worried.

Once Ruka and Mikan left the shopping store, they ran down the street to the nearest bus stop. Luckily for Ruka, the bus was still there. People were entering and exiting the bus.

"M-MIKAN!!!"

Mikan turned around to see Natsume still chasing them. She shook her head and whispered, "I'm so sorry." She couldn't help him find the real Mikan. Maybe he was just using her because she looked so much like the girl he loved before.

She followed Ruka into the bus as they took the last back seats. Mikan turned around expecting Natsume to have given up. But there he was, still running after them. This time, running after the bus. Mikan frowned, she felt almost slight pity for him. 'What? Why should I feel sorry for him. He's a rude, teasing, and perverted guy who just forced me to marry him.'

"…Mikan?"She turned her head back to the boy beside her, "Oh hi, Yuki…"

Ruka's smile turned into a serious expression, "…I don't want you to ever meet him. I don't ever want you too Hotaru either."

Mikan widened her eyes, "W-Why?!"

"…Because I said so."

Mikan didn't bother to argue. Everyday it seemed as if Ruka was becoming distant from her. She still loved him but maybe not as much as she did before…

"Mikan. Lets go eat somewhere today. Anywhere you like."Mikan smiled, "How about instant ramen?"

She turned around again to look outside the bus window. There in the distant was a small running figure. Mikan chuckled to herself, thinking that she must have imagined Natsume was still running after her. Why did she ever matter to him? But the truth was : she really did hope he was still running after her. She didn't know why she felt this way but she didn't want him to leave.

Mikan rubbed her eyes and looked out the window again. The small figure was still moving. This time, a little closer.

Ruka also turned around and made an unpleased expression, "When will he give up?"

Mikan smiled, "You don't know Natsume…He's really persistent…He wont give up."

Ruka glanced at Mikan sadly. 'He's not the only one.'

She watched Natsume run after the bus who was screaming a single word repeatedly. The word seemed to be, 'Mikan.'

"…Yuki."

"What is it, Mikan?"

"…Yuki, Let me off the bus. Please."

Ruka's eyes widened, "N-No! You cant…please…lets just go home."

"…I…I just want to get off the bus." Mikan didn't know what she was saying, it was just what she really wanted…

"M-Mika-!"

"PLEASE STOP THE BUS!" Mikan cried out to the driver as she ran down the aisle, Ruka following her.

"…Mikan! D-Don't! Y-You don't have to marry him! Just…"Mikan turned back to look at Ruka, "I'm sorry. Please don't stop me from what I want to do."

Those words suddenly let a wave of guilt spread over Ruka. From all the times when Mikan thought he was a caring person, he was actually lying to her the entire time, being selfish because he loved her so much.

She ran down the steps and out of the bus door. Ruka didn't say anything, Mikan could tell that he was upset. "I promise I'll call you everyday!" She called out to him.

Ruka felt like screaming, 'Don't! If I told you the truth…you would hate me.' But he didn't, he wanted to be with Mikan even if he would someday go to hell for it.

She turned back to see Natsume place his hands on his knees, gasping for breath in the middle of the road. She rolled her eyes as she came up to him and crouched down beside him, "Hey!"Natsume looked up with a really surprised expression but he didn't say anything. Clearly, he didn't expect Mikan to come back. He thought she would have just left him. Suddenly Natsume's eyes started to water. He reached his hand up to his face to wipe away the tears.

Mikan looked at him, "What is it?"

"N-Nothing…just…dust in my eyes."

"I can't believe you ran that fa-"

Suddenly Natsume wrapped his arms around her tightly, "..I…didn't want to lose you a second time."

Mikan blushed uncontrollably, "O-Okay…" For a second, she hugged him back but thought against it and didn't do anything.

Natsume looked up eagerly, "So…does that mean you remember now?"

Mikan's eyebrow twitched. Is that all he cared about? If I remembered being Mikan Sakura?! What if she wasn't? Would he still treat her this way?

Mikan shoved Natsume. "G-Get off of me."

Natsume looked at Mikan with a confused face. Did he do something wrong? "Wha-?"

Mikan walked off angrily with a red face.

"…Why…do you have to play with a girl's feelings like that?" She whispered to herself…

~**~

"D-Do I sign here…?"

The lawyer nodded, "As the bride of the marriage, you must sign it with your dominant hand."

Natsume looked over Mikan signing the marriage contract and smiled.

When Mikan finished placing the pen down, Natsume took her hand and led her out of the office.

"W-Where are we going, Natsume?"

"A date."

Mikan's eyes widened, "B-But I have a boyfriend!"

Natsume raised his eyebrows at Mikan as if she was stupid, "So? We made a deal right? Married couples do it all the time."

Mikan didn't say anything and just made a goofy smile when Natsume wasn't looking.

Natsume had a dark black hood over his head so that the fans wouldn't be able to recognize him.

They arrived at the park and both took a seat on a bench. He reached into his pocket and took out a pink box.

Looking at the box, Mikan's eyes twinkled with excitement. Was it a ring? A diamond?!

Natsume opened it and inside was a little cloud. It looked like cotton candy but it was much more pure white and very fluffy.

Natsume took one of the little clouds and gave it to Mikan, "Here. A Howalon."

"I-Its looks so yummy!" Drool ran down the side of her mouth, "Yummy!"

Natsume rolled his eyes and popped it in her mouth, "Do…you remember anything now?"

Mikan stared at Natsume, "You think by giving me a cloud, you think I would remember?" She munched on the howalon happily.

Natsume sighed, "I watched a movie yesterday. A girl had amnesia and her boyfriend tried multiple ways to get her to remember."

Mikan looked up, "Let's try it then!"Natsume flicked Mikan's forehead, "He did this." "OW!"

Natsume took Mikan's head and repeatedly banged it against the bench arm, "He did this."

"OW!"

Natsume reached his hand and placed it on her shoulder while using the other hand to continuously slap her. All the while, his expression was still bored and didn't even show the simplest pity, "He did this."

"OW! OW! OW! STOP!"

"So…do you remember now?""NO! I DIDN'T!" Mikan yelled, rubbing the little bump on the back of her head.

"I thought that if I did slight damage to your puny brain, you would remember."

Mikan laughed, "You idiot!"

"…I also wanted an excuse to touch you." Mikan blushed furiously, "P-Pervert!"

Natsume placed his hands on Mikan's shoulders and pulled her closer to him. Her face only inches away from his face, "Will you let me kiss you?"

Mikan flushed. "W-W-What?!" She suddenly felt a bubble of happiness form in her heart. She closed her eyes as she felt his warm breathing against her cheek…

"Just kidding." Natsume smirked and let go of Mikan's shoulders.

Mikan felt the bubble in her heart explode, "Wha-?! I-I-I….D-Don't tease me like that!"

Natsume leaned closer, "Don't tell me…you've already fallen for me?"

Mikan's eyes widened in horror and smacked Natsume hard, "Y-You're so full of yourself! I would never ever fall for the likes of you! The only one I like is Yuki!"

Natsume leaned back and smiled, "I'm not so sure about that."

Mikan's punched him across the face, "Oh yeah? Well listen well! I would never fall for a sadistic, evil, and rude guy like you!"

Natsume scoffed, "Just watch and see."

"I hate you! You look like a girl! You look too feminine." Mikan smirked.

Natsume's eyebrow twitched angrily. "Prove it."

Mikan didn't say anything for a while, in deep thought. An evil grin spread across her face, "You asked for it…" She took a deep breath so that other people at the park could hear loud and clear. "SIS! LET'S GO BUY ICE CREAM!"

Natsume's eyes widened, "What?" He smiled, thinking that she was joking.

The people at the park all turned their heads to stare at Natsume.

"Sis! Hurry and buy me and Timmy some ice cream!"The smile on his face faded, "W-What?"

Mikan came up to a random little boy at the park, "TIMMY! AUNTIE JUST TOLD YOUR MOMMY. YOUR MOMMY SAYS SHE'LL BUY YOU ICE CREAM RIGHT AWAY!"

Again, the people at the park stared.

"Is he a boy or a girl?"

"He does look like a girl.""She has a son too? And a sister?"

"I thought she was a boy…"

"Hey…she looks a lot like Natsume Hyuga!"

Natsume felt his cheeks turn pink, "M-Mikan! Shut up!"

"SIS! DON'T MAKE SUCH A WORRIED FACE. I MADE SURE TO BRING LOTS OF TAMPONS FOR YOU." Mikan smirked and walked away to leave Natsume.

Natsume looked around and covered his face.

A woman with a daughter came up to Natsume and stared at his chest. "You seem pretty flat for a mother…anyway how old is your's?"

"My what?" Natsume asked, making a rude gesture to make the woman go away.

"You son, Timmy."

"How the hell should I know?" Natsume snapped angrily.

The woman placed her hands on her hips, "GASP! What kind of mother are you?"

Natsume controlled the urge to kill the woman but instead covered more of his face with his hood. He searched around for Mikan. But first things first, he needed to go use the washroom to hide from all the woman staring at him. But when he arrived, a tall big man looked at him suspiciously. Natsume ignored him and tried to go around him to enter the washroom but the man kept blocking his way, moving left and then right. He examined Natsume carefully, staring at his flat chest. Natsume groaned. 'Don't tell me this guy thinks I'm a girl?'

"Do you want to go in and confirm?" Natsume glared at him, expecting the man to be scared and leave him alone.

But the man's serious face suddenly turned into a goofy grin, his cheeks turned pink. "R-Really?"

Natsume's eyes widened in horror as he ran away from the bathroom.

~**~

Mikan hid behind a tree, laughing sinisterly. The look on Natsume's face was priceless.

She sighed and sat down beside the tree, hugging her knees. Maybe he was more better than she thought…

Two teenage girls walked past but stopped when they saw her. They whispered into each other's ears and looked at Mikan with a surprised and later on with mocking faces. After, a crowd of more girls came and stood and watched Mikan.

"Uh…hi!" Mikan called out, confused.

A girl walked up to Mikan, "Hey…aren't you Natsume Hyuga's wife?"Mikan hesitated before nodding, "Yep!"

A girl whispered into another girl's ear loud enough for Mikan to hear, "Hey. I read a magazine and it said that Natsume married her because she looked like a girl he loved that died in the past."

The other girl's eyes widened, "Really?"

Another girl nodded, "Yeah. Can't you just tell? She doesn't look anything special. She's not even pretty."

Mikan scowled angrily, "Wha-?!"

"Natsume Hyuga probably just married her because of the way she looks."

Mikan stopped and just sat there, a shocked look on her face. Why hadn't she realized it? They were right. If she didn't look like the girl Natsume loved, Natsume wouldn't have ever laid eyes on her. She had lots of bad points. She wasn't pretty, she was overly cheerful and confident, she was whiny and she cried a lot. There were millions of girls in Japan who would die to just talk to Natsume. What made her

so lucky?

She felt like crying, "Y-You're right…"

"Who the hell made you think that? Stupid!"

Mikan turned around to see a black hooded boy, "N-Natsume…"

Natsume came over and placed his hand around Mikan's neck, "Hey. You stupid ass-hole fan girls. You cant start judging someone by staring at them for a couple of seconds. You don't know how special she is."

The girls stared at Natsume, looking as if they were going to cry any second before they ran away, heart-broken from what their role-model had just said to them.

Mikan stood frozen stiff and stared up at Natsume who didn't even shoot a glance at her. Her face suddenly turned red, she looked down on the ground. Her hair hiding her face.

"N-Nat..sume…*sniff*…*sniff*"

"Oh god." Natsume looked down at her, seeing tears stream down her face. He rolled his eyes and smiled, "Stupid."

Mikan didn't say anything. She just cried onto his chest, under his arm and stood there. Did Natsume really mean what he said? Was she really special the way she was? Mikan never asked.

* * *

My birthday is in two days! April 22!!! I'm turning thirteen!!! I'M SO EXCITED!!!!! Please update!!!! Hope you liked this chapter~


	7. Natsume and Ruka

OMG!!!! THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED AND THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO WISHED ME A HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! THANK YOU!!! Hahahaha! See the review left for this story by this account, Sakoshi Choco? That was my cousin signing on my account and reviewing MY OWN story! This chapter is based on a n episode in Ouran High School Host Club! IT IS AN AWESOME ANIME! So to just let you know, most of the ideas in this chapter comes from that anime! PLEASE REVIEW!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, xo-Ayame-ox! DONT WORRY! I'll try to remember it next year! Lol. Again, thank you everyone!

* * *

Natsume opened the door to a large bright lit room. A long golden table was placed in the middle of the room. Across the table was Ruka, "I wanted to see you….Natsume…."

Natsume didn't say anything and took a seat across from Ruka.

Ruka didn't know what to say, he had arranged this meeting just to discuss it with Natsume. "I'm…sorry."

"…."

"H-Has she remembered….yet?"Natsume shook his head, not taking his eyes off of the table.

"…If she really does love you…then…"

Natsume sighed, "…she would love me even if she has amnesia."

"…If…Mikan tells you she loves you within three months, I'll tell her the truth…about lying to her…But if she doesn't, you must never talk or see her again…She and I will leave Japan and go to France." Ruka looked up, "…Okay?"

Natsume smiled, "But don't think I'll be going easy on you."

"O-Of course."

Natsume stood up and opened the door to leave but then he looked back. "Ruka, if you weren't my best friend, I would have killed you already."

Ruka stood up, "Natsume! I have to tell you! This Mikan…is not the Mikan Sakura you met at Gakuen Alice. They just look alike."

Natsume froze and turned around, "What?"

"I'm….telling you the truth." He frowned, "She cant remember because she has nothing to remember."

Natsume sighed, "It doesn't matter if she is…"

~**~

Natsume and Ruka watched as Mikan ran across the beach towards the ocean. They had brought her to the beach for specific reasons. Natsume and Ruka were going to go through a series of competitions over Mikan. The ultimate challenge to see how Mikan was better off with!!! _

Ruka looked down at the piece of paper they had scribbled on about what they would do.

'_Ultimate Challenge 1! What is Mikan's GREATEST fear?'_

After living with Mikan for five years, Ruka still hadn't found out her greatest fear. He was too busy, having multiple jobs to try to support them both.

Ruka glanced at Natsume who glared back at him. "1.….2.….3.…..START!"

The two of them made a lunge towards Mikan who was digging up seashells. Both frantically running down against the sand, trying to get to Mikan first. Ruka (who was a faster runner) managed to get to her first and drag her along him.

"Y-Yuki! Where are you taking me?!"

"Just follow me, Mikan."

Ruka took Mikan into the supplies shed along the beach shore. "It's dark enough…" Ruka muttered to himself as he opened the wooden plank, referred to as the door.

Suddenly he pushed Mikan gently into the shed and followed behind her, closing the door behind them. Trapping themselves in the pitch blackness.

"Yuki…Why are we here?"

"A-Aren't you scared? Its pretty dark in here."

"Um…not really."

Ruka shuddered, "I-Its kind of…scary…"

"…Yuki?"

"I-I-Its cramped inside her too….D-Dark…."

"Erm…Yuki?'"…I-I'm…."

Mikan looked over, "…Are you okay?"

"I-I'm….SCARED!!! Its dark! Suffocating!!!" Ruka starting flailing his arms around and banging crazily against the door.

Mikan looked at him nervously, "Uh…Yuki?"

'_Dark and Claustrophobic Strategy-Failed.'_

_~**~_

Natsume walked with Mikan into a large cave beside the beach.

"Natsume, you and Yuki have been acting really strange…" Mikan said, searching around the cave wall for something fascinating.

"Mikan. Wait here. I'll be right back." Natsume whispered to her as he walked out of the cave, leaving her behind.

Mikan followed behind, "Huh? Natsu-"Suddenly a black masked came out and clasped her mouth with his hand. She didn't panic at all and just stood there extremely calm. Then the attacker took out a sharp kitchen knife and pointed it directly at her face, expecting her to scream and panic like other girls.

But she didn't and stared at the knife, "Um…can I help you?"

The black masked man (who is Natsume, I think you should have figured this out by now) took out a pair of scissors and a water gun in the other hand, "…I'm going to kill you!"

Mikan frowned innocently, "Did I do something wrong? …Um…Sorry."

Natsume raised his eyebrows, irritated. Was this girl scared of anything? Wait…she was, wasn't she? Natsume stood there, in deep thought as he searched though his memory. But he couldn't remember.

Natsume decided it was best if he ran out of the cave now.

'_Fear of…evil…uh….things and dangerous weapons - Failed' _

_~**~_

Ruka removed the blindfold he had wrapped across Mikan's eyes. He had led them onto an enormous boulder on the beach that rose about eight meters from the ocean. "It's pretty high up, isn't it?"

Mikan tilted her head, confused. "Um…why do you bring me to such weird places?"

"Um…uh….how about you look into the ocean? Isn't it so high up? Aren't you scared that you might fall?"

Mikan pouted, "No. Not really."

Ruka sighed and placed his hands on Mikan's waist.

"R-Ruka! What are you doing?"

Ruka lifted Mikan up about a few inches from the ground. He lifted her as he walked over to the side of the boulder, the cliff and let her dangle there dangerously. Mikan swung her legs in midair. (What a stupid thing for Ruka to do right?)

Mikan looked down nervously into the ocean far below her. "…Its…high…"

Suddenly Mikan's felt frightened, a feeling of worry and fear. Her head started to hurt extremely painfully. She clutched her forehead, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

'"_MIKAN!!!"_

_Mikan felt the rocks of the cliff she was standing on start to crumble and fall, "Wha-?!"_

_A young and beautiful girl in front of her with strawberry blond hair stared at her with horrified and worried green eyes. _

"_M-MIKAN!!!!" The girl reached out her hand to Mikan who desperately tried to take it but her hand slipped out of the girl's grasp. _

_Mikan felt herself falling down. It was a slow and painful process…_

Mikan opened her eyes too see an extremely worried Natsume. "M-Mikan!"

Beside Natsume was Ruka who sighed in relief, "I…was so worried! I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were so afraid of heights that you'd pa-"

Mikan suddenly starting crying, "…I…I…remembered something…"

Ruka and Natsume's eyes widened, "…W-What….WHAT?!"

"I…think I remembered the scenery before I lost my memories…I was falling. From a high cliff like the one you dangled…me…over."

Mikan sat up and hugged her knees, shaking. "I-It was…so…scary…"

"M-M-Mikan…Do you remember anything else?" Natsume leaned over.

"N-No…" Mikan wiped away her tears. "I…also didn't see any fire though." Mikan looked over at Ruka who had told her that she lost her memories from a fire.

Ruka didn't know what to say. He tried to search for the right words, "I-I…Maybe…You probably imagined it because you were so scared."

Mikan shook her head, "Ruka…I'm not afraid of heights…"

"O-Oh…"

"I…saw a girl with strawberry blond hair and green eyes…She was young and really pretty…She was really worried about me." Mikan whispered, deep in thought.

Natsume didn't say anything and kept quiet, _'Luna Koizumi?'_

'_Fear of heights Strategy - Failed'_

_~**~_

Mikan sat on the tatami floor of the beachside hotel. "Natsume! Let's give each other nicknames!"Natsume looked up from his manga, "What?"

"Nicknames! We should both give each other nicknames that only we know!"

Natsume sighed, "Why?"

"B-Because it could improve our closeness and friendship!"

Natsume rolled his eyes, "Fine. Whatever."

Mikan grinned, "Can mine be Strawberries?!" Mikan asked eagerly, "I like strawberries."

"What? No way. Its retarded."

"Fine then." Mikan pouted, "Um…how about Pineapple? It sounds cute!"

"What the hell? No."

"Um…uh….how about…?"

"Mikan…Don't we already have nicknames for each other?

Mikan glared at Natsume, "Oh. I bet you love YOUR nicknames. You idiot, moron, jerk, perve-"

Narrowing his eyes, Natsume's fist tightened.

Mikan sighed sympathetically, "See? The nicknames we have right now only makes us want to kill each other."

"What kind of nicknames?"

Mikan grinned, "Positive ones, of course!"

Natsume made a confused expression, "Like what?"

"Sweeter names!"

Natsume nodded, "Oh…so something like….banana paradise?"

Mikan punched Natsume angrily. That nickname brought back so many bad memories. "No! I don't like that! I want cooler names like Super Mikan!"

"What the hell?"

"You're just jealous of my nick-naming abilities!"

"Maybe…We should name each other after food."

Mikan thought about it for while before laughing, "Fine. Your's can be Grape. Your hair is purple!"

"My hair is black. Not purple." Natsume muttered, annoyed.

"Fine…something that describes us too!" Mikan suggested, smiling. "I think strawbe-"

"Cutie pie."

Not catching what Natsume had said, "What?" Something must had been wrong with Mikan's hearing…Right?

"Cutie pie."

Mikan suddenly blushed furiously, "W-What?! B-B-But…I-I-I…"

"You can be Cutie pie. It matches you." Natsume said, staring into his manga book.

Dumbfounded, Mikan blushed. "Y-You think I'm cute?"

"…Your face says it all."

"Wha-?"

Suddenly Natsume turned his head away, "You want nicknames or not?"

"I-I do!" Mikan who was still red turned her head the other way as well.

"How about Chili Pepper? Your personality is hot-tempered."

"Change it." Natsume demanded.

"Okay. Okay, Mr. Bossy. How about…um…Ice Cube?"

"What? No. Anyway, that's not food, idiot."

Mikan pouted, "I don't like my nickname! Why don't you change it?!" Mikan retorted.

"Idiot, when in an argument and someone else calls you a weird name like Cutie Pie, it could put the enemy off and make him/her confused. You can win the argument." (Totally not making sense.)

"Ohhhh." Mikan nodded in agreement, "Yeah. There isn't a lot of sixteen year olds called Cutie Pie…"

"Now you. Give me a nickname."

"O-Okay…how about Eggplant?"

"No."

"Okay then, Tomato!"

"Change it."

"I know! Ramen!"

"No."

"Sushi!"

"Change."

"Um…um…banana!"

"Change."

"Miso soup?""NO."

Mikan thought about other foods that Natsume might like for a nickname, "Uh…uh…Fine then! Honey then!" Mikan decided to choose food at random that popped up in her head first.

"Okay."

"EH?!" Mikan turned around. Not believing that someone like Natsume wanted to be called, 'Honey!' It was completely not human! Way too absurd. I mean, is honey even food?! Winnie the Pooh eats it so is it food?! Is Pooh even real?

"Honey is okay. You can be cutie pie. I'll be honey. There. New nicknames. Done." Natsume said quickly before returning to his manga book, "Now we have nicknames that we wont make us kill each other."

Not understanding the recent conversation, Mikan stared onto the ground._ 'I guess my nickname is better than idiot or polkadots…' _Happy about her nickname, she smiled.

"Okay, honey!" Mikan giggled and laughed at Natsume's reaction who dropped his manga book and turned pink.

Just then, Ruka came into the room with a towel on his wet hair. He looked over at Natsume and shook his head, showing Natsume that he hadn't found out what Mikan was afraid of.

Natsume walked across the room and headed towards the washroom, his turn to take a shower. He looked at Ruka suspiciously and gave Ruka a look that meant something like, _'Do anything stupid and I'll kill you.' _

After Natsume closed the door behind himself, Ruka walked over to the lights. He turned all the light switches off so that the room was now dark except for the beam of light under the washroom door.

"Ruka, why is it dark in he-"

Suddenly Ruka walked over sat on the bed beside Mikan in the dark.

He had turned off the lights…Was this?!

"NO!!!!! PLEASE DON'T RAPE ME!!!" Mikan cried, running away across the room.

Ruka suddenly turned beet red and laughed, "What? I'm not going to do THAT." He chuckled shyly as he sat up beside her.

"O-Oh…" Mikan whispered, embarrassed. "S-Sorry. I'm just too used to being with Natsume's perverted ways."

Ruka smiled until his face turned bright red, "I just wanted to conserve electricity." (Heh. Yeah right.)

"Oh…."

"Mikan…""Hmmm?"

"I…love you." Mikan grinned, "I know."

"Hey! Why is it dark?"

Ruka and Mikan turned around to see a bare-chested Natsume standing in front of the washroom door. Mikan blushed as she saw how much skin he was showing. "N-Natsume…"Natsume glared at Ruka suspiciously, "…The lights are turned off…You guys are on the same bed…Don't tell me this is…"

He stared at Ruka in horror, "Rape?"

"N-N-NO! I-It's NOT!" Ruka blushed uncontrollably, "W-Why does everyone think I'm that kind of person?!"

Natsume sighed, "That's because you are the most dangerous boy there is. A shy and gentle boy on the outside…But on the INSIDE, a naughty and selfish pervert."

Ruka flushed, "I-I'm…going…to…uh…I've got important business to go to…Bye!"Mikan and Natsume watched Ruka run out of the room, embarrassed. Mikan turned her head around to see Natsume. Oh no. What series of events would happen with an innocent girl in the same room (and in the dark) with a pervert?!

She decided to start a conversation with him, "Natsume…You and Ruka were trying to find out I was afraid of, ri-?"

BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!

Outside, the thunderstorm created flashes of light and dramatic thunder. Natsume turned around to see Mikan shivering uncontrollably, tears dripping down her chin.

"Mi-"

BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!Mikan suddenly looked as if the lightning actually strike her and had on a terrified expression. She crawled inside the closet, "U-Um…I have …something I need to d-do…so…uh….Bye." Mikan opened the closet door quickly and crawled inside, slamming the door behind her.

"M-Mikan!" Natsume called after her and tried to open the closet doors but Mikan held onto the handle tightly.

"Natsume…Don't worry about me. This is how I deal with it every time." Mikan started to cry on the other side of the door.

Natsume slapped his forehead. How could he forget? Mikan was scared of thunder! Using his strength, Natsume kicked down the door, revealing a crying Mikan inside.

"Don't tell me…You…hid in a closet every time there was the thunderstorm? Did you always have to deal with it by yourself? …All alone…D-Didn't anyone protect you?"

Mikan shook her head, hiding her head between her knees.

"Mikan…Come here." Natsume stood in front of the open closet, his arms wide. "These past years…You've changed. You aren't such a scaredy cat anymore…But…next time when you're scared…I'll make sure you aren't alone…I'll be there for you, okay?"

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!

Mikan suddenly pushed the back of the closet with her foot to get enough momentum to quickly lunge out of the closet. She spread her arms out and wrapped them around Natsume's waist. He smiled and placed his hands on her head.

She looked up and teased playfully, "Natsume…When did you become a poet?"

"I-I….have my moments." Natsume blushed slightly as he led Mikan into the closet again. "Here. This time, we'll hide in the closet together."

Natsume walked across the room to a table where his large music headset was and he ripped off some fabric from the bed sheets to create a scarf-like cloth. He came over to the closet again and placed the headphones over Mikan's ears and used the cloth as a blindfold. "See? This way, you wont hear the thunder and you wont see the lightning…" Natsume squeezed into the closet and sat beside Mikan, pulling her close to him..

Mikan grinned before snuggling up close to Natsume, "…Thank you."

Natsume placed his hand on her head, _'It doesn't really matter if you aren't Mikan Sakura.'_

_~**~_

"_H-Hello?"_

_Ruka walked into the hotel room. It was still dark and rain still fell outside. Ruka searched around the room. There was a heap of ripped bed sheets on the floor. Ruka walked over to the balcony where the closet was beside. He watched as Mikan snored onto Natsume, forming a waterfall of drool running down his arm. Natsume was sleeping as well._

"_Mikan…Do you still really love Natsume…?" Ruka clenched his fists, "I….don't get it….I work so hard but…." _

_Ruka glanced over to Natsume, "….I don't think I should go easy on you anymore….Natsume." Ruka walked away from the closet and to the hotel phone on the wall beside the switches. "…I'm really sorry…" _

_Ruka picked up the phone and punched in the hotel service number…_

"_Hello?"_

"_Hello. Fujiyoshi Hotel Service. How may I help you?" A woman answered on the other phone._

"_This is Room 101. Could…you do me a favor?"_

"_S-Sir? What kind of favor…?"_

_Ruka hesitated, "….I'll pay you as much as you want…just…" _

_

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_

PLEASE REVIEW!!!! THANKS!


	8. Rescue Mikan 1

Sorry that I haven't been on Fanfic for a while. But here is the latest chapter! If you guys are wondering why I haven't really added anything to the plot yet, its because I want the characters to develop their relationship together before saying they are in "love." Lots of fanfiction just jump off to conclusions that the characters love each other with no reason. So right now, Natsume and Mikan are still going through a series of events before I can advance to more of the plot. THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO READS MY STORY! Thank you! I hope you guys review! Its time for exams and assessments so I wont be on Fanfic for a while. I'll review once I get about 20 reviews.

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Mikan skipped through the hall of the hotel happily, "I'm going to take the test of courage today!" She giggled excitedly.

As she was going to turn the corner, two of the hotel maids bumped into her. One of the maids happened to carry a hot pot of boiling water. When she collided into Mikan, the pot flew into the air and poured onto Mikan's body.

"H-H-HOT!!!!!!" Mikan started to run around the hall, screaming. She suddenly collided into a wall, blood dripping down her forehead. "B-B-BLOOD!!!!!!" She cried out, frantically running around the hall way.

The other maid went over and bowed, "I-I am so sorry. How possibly can I do to re-"

The maid suddenly backed away and whispered to the other maid, too low for Mikan to hear. "Brown hair, large brown eyes. Pig tails…"

Mikan watched as the other maid tilted her head in wonder, carefully examining her.

The other maid placed a finger on her chin, "He told us if we found a weird girl who acts like an idiot, it would be her." They both turned and looked at the crying girl.

Mikan looked over at them, confused. "Um…is there anywhere I could get another shirt?"

"You deserved it."

Mikan frowned, "Huh?"

One of the maids snorted, "Just because you think you're the wife of the famous Natsume Hyuga, doesn't mean that we have to worry about what happens to you. You think that you can just boss us around like that, huh?"

"W-What? I never thou-" "The wife of Natsume Hyuga is pretty stupid, right? I wonder what makes her so special. She probably manipulated Natsume Hyuga."

"You don't know how special she is!"

Mikan twirled around to see Ruka standing behind them, scowling.

"Yuki…"

"Come on, Mikan. Lets go." Ruka led Mikan out of the hall and into their hotel room. "A-Are you okay, Mikan? You're all wet and drenched in hot water."

Mikan laughed, "It's fine." She grinned, "Thank you for earlier."

Ruka didn't say anything until he starting taking off his white shirt.

"Wha-?!" Mikan's face turned bright red. She saw his bare chest. Ruka was half-naked! He walked over to a closet to get another shirt for himself.

Ruka handed the white shirt to Mikan, "Here, Mikan. Put this on."

"T-Thank you…"

"From now on. I'll protect you, okay?" Ruka looked over eagerly at Mikan's reaction.

Mikan shook her head, "It's okay."

Ruka looked at her, surprised. "W-What? Why?"

"Yuki…I already have someone who is there for me….But thank you." Mikan smiled, "Nobody…can replace him."

Ruka had on a painful expression as he stood up and walked out, "I'll be outside until you finish changing…"

"Okay." Mikan called after him.

After Ruka closed the door behind him, he walked down the aisle to see the maids again who had insulted Mikan earlier.

One of the maids took a cigarette out and lit it, "Can we have our money now?"

Ruka scowled, "You should have went easier on her! Also, it shouldn't have been hot water! You hurt her!"

"We just did what you asked. You didn't tell us about the things we SHOULDN'T have done." Ruka sighed before taking out a stack of money, "Here."

The maid placed a hand on her hip, "But seriously, you are a pretty good actor. You actually seemed rather heroic."

"Ruka!"

Ruka turned around too Natsume standing there with a can of coke in his hand, "Aren't you going to hit the beach with us?"

Ruka's body tensed. Had Natsume heard? Does he know that he tricked Mikan? Ruka starting sweating nervously.

Natsume sighed impatiently, "Are you?"

"Y-Yeah." Ruka ran after Natsume. The maids disappeared around the corner. Suddenly Natsume grabbed Ruka by the shirt collar and slammed him against the wall. "OW!""Ruka. Listen closely.""N-Natsume…"

"If you ever hurt Mikan…I'll kill you." Natsume let go of Ruka.

"O-Ow…."

Natsume frowned, "Ruka…What's….happened to you?"

Ruka shoved Natsume, "N-Nothing's happened to me! I've just become bolder and more confident to try to express my feelings for Mikan!""You call lying to her…Lying to your best friend becoming bolder?" Natsume muttered angrily.

"Natsume! You were the one who stole her from me in the first place! She hated you! Until you came in with your perverted schemes and messed everything up!""I was the one who gave her to you in the first place! Because at first, I thought that our friendship was more important than rivalry…But…then…" Natsume shook his head and walked away. Maybe someday Ruka would come to realize that there had always been someone waiting for him…

~**~

"HOTARU!"

Hotaru turned around to see Mikan running up to her with a hermit crab. "Hotaru! Lets go swimming!"

Hotaru shook her head, "I just came here to watch out for you…"

Mikan tilted her head, "From what?"

Hotaru leaned closer, "At Fujiyoshi Beach, I heard that there is a pervert who goes around and kidnaps cute girls. He always comes out every full moon…like today…"

Mikan didn't seem to be scared at all, "Really? Oh well, I don't have to worry about it!" "

Natsume who was probably twelve feet away from them who ran over, "Mikan…We're leaving."

"W-Why?"

"There's serial rapist getting cute girls…" Mikan frowned, "What's that got to do with me?" Not getting the message and being a natural idiot, Mikan thought about it for a while.

Natsume looked away, "That's…because…." He took her hand and brought her after him, "We're leaving."

Hotaru trailed behind, "But wasn't there a Test Of Courage tonight?"

Natsume twirled around, "What?"

"Its this trial of events that people go through in the dark at the haunted cave." Hotaru pointed to a small island in the distance, "There's a lot of ghosts there, many people have died…"

Natsume turned his head to look at the island, "It's to see how brave we are…right?"

Hotaru nodded, "Lots of boys take part in it to impress girls…" He peered over at Natsume. _'Oh. And they give out free crab meat.'_

Natsume glanced over at Mikan but when Hotaru smirked at him, he turned his head away, "Maybe…we'll stay at the hotel for another day…."

"YAY! TEST OF COURAGE!!!" Mikan jumped up enthusiastically, "It's going to be a piece of cake!"

~**~

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"

Mikan scurried over and hugged Ruka's head, "D-D-Did you hear that?!" Mikan shivered, "L-Loud footsteps!"

Natsume sighed, he forgot that Mikan was scared….of scary things.

Hotaru went over and patted Mikan's forehead, "Its probably your heart beat…that sounds like footsteps, idiot."

Suddenly the four of them saw a white but transparent white figure in front of them. The figure was an elegant yet sad woman, dressed in a white and flowing dress. Her hands were clutching onto her the sides of her face, the nails sank so hard onto her chins that blood streamed down her pale white face. Tears fell down her eyes. After a few seconds, she was wailing and crying loudly…

"OH MY GOD!!!" Mikan cried, pointing at the woman in fear.

Natsume didn't even seem to care, "It's a spirit of a woman who appears, wailing, to signal that somebody is going to die…"

Mikan starting crying uncontrollably, "AAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I…I…want to go home!!! HOME! HOME!!!!" She hugged Ruka's arm who was shaking as well.

"M-Mikan…it's kind of…dark in her…huh?" Ruka had on a worried and nervous expression. This was not the time to worry about his fear of the dark! He was here to protect Mikan…right?

Hotaru walked over to Ruka and took something out of her pocket. A large flashlight patterned in polka dots. "Ruka…Here, use this…"

She walked away, leaving an embarrassed Ruka. Natsume raised the fire torch in his hand higher, they had come to a part of the cave where it split into two different pathways. No one was sure which pathway led to where. Natsume and Ruka looked over at Hotaru, knowing that the genius was sure to have at least something.

"Which way should we go?" Hotaru whispered to herself as she searched her pockets for an invention that could be useful…"I…left my tracking device….at home."

Natsume and Ruka gasped. Was Hotaru…powerless?!

Mikan sniffed the air, "I know! The right way is…this!" Mikan pointed to the right cave triumphantly, proud of herself.

Natsume raised his eyebrow, "Really? How do you know?""Gut feeling!" Mikan answered, smiling.

Natsume sighed, "You are such an idiot…" He looked over at Hotaru and Ruka, "Maybe we should split up…"

Natsume glared at Ruka for half a second before they both cried out, "I'M WITH MIKAN!"

Ignoring Ruka, Natsume walked over and took Mikan's hand, "Since we're married, we're going to be partners and into the cave on the right."

Ruka stomped his foot like a little boy before turning to look at Hotaru. Hotaru still looked indifferent, "Lets go to the left cave, Ruka."

Ruka pouted, seeing that he had lost to Natsume yet again before he turned and followed Mikan. "Um…O-Okay…"

~**~

"WAAAAAHHHH!!!" Mikan cried, wiping the flowing tears from her face.

"Shut up and keep walking." Natsume said as he walked, holding her close to him.

"B-But didn't you see that?! It was a skull! A human skull!" Mikan shivered as she held onto Natsume's shirt tighter, "W-W-We're going to DIE!!!"

Natsume slapped Mikan, "Shut up. No, we aren't." They walked on the solid part of the cave, surrounded by water from the ocean. "I…hate water." Natsume growled, irritated. He dodged all the puddles of water on the ground and dodged the water droplets dripping from above.

Mikan looked over, "You…do?" Mikan thought about it for a second. She had never seen Natsume drink water before. All he ever drank was juice or pop. He also never swam. When he took a shower, he barely took more than a few minutes.

"Natsume….Do you have aqua phobia?" Mikan leaned closer, "Are you afraid of water?" Natsume turned away, "No…"

Mikan made a sinister smile before running after him. She had just found out his weak point…

She bent over to the ocean water and cupped her hands. She used to hands to scoop up the water and thrust the water into Natsume's face! "MWAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!" She smiled an EVIL smile and gave an EVIL laugh.

Natsume didn't say anything and wiped the water from his face, "Are you an idiot? I wont be scared if you do that…" Natsume ran over without her, embarrassed.

"Natsume…"

"What do you want now?"

"Could you tell me about Mikan Sakura?"

There was a long pause between them before Natsume sighed. He turned back at poked Mikan on the forehead, "She was exactly like you."

"Exactly?"

"…She acted like she really hated me." He smirked, "Well the thing is its obvious that you're madly and unconditionally in love with me."

Mikan clenched her fists as Natsume could see her veins popping on the top of her forehead, "BE SERIOUS NATSUME."

Natsume shrugged casually, "Okay. Okay. You are much more mature than she was. She was the type of person who liked to help people instead of receiving help…She was always thinking of others…that's what made her such an idiot."

"So…Why did you well…" Mikan blushed, "Why did you…um…love her?"

"Just because."

"Because of what?"

"Just because…" Natsume repeated. For a slight second, Mikan saw his face turn pink."Do you have a fever, Natsume?"

"N-No…." She watched as he ran ahead at full speed, embarrassed.

"Hey Natsume! Wait up!" She called after him, running behind. "Natsume!!! HEY NATSUME!!!"

She looked around, seeing that she was now alone. "D-Don't leave me, you idiot!!!"

~**~

"…."

"…."

Ruka and Hotaru walked quietly beside each other. None of them hadn't said anything to each other yet… Ruka sighed. This was so awkward…Now that Ruka thought about it, he and Hotaru had NEVER had a single conversation with each other. Ever. Wanting to break the silence and start a conversation, Ruka decided to make her laugh. He always managed to get Mikan to laugh. But then again, Mikan was an idiot.

"…Hotaru…Want to hear a joke?"

"No."

Ruka laughed nervously, "Um…it's a really funny joke."

"I don't want to hear it." Ignoring Hotaru, Ruka decided to tell her anyway. "Okay its this story about two hunters who are out in the woods. Suddenly one of them falls to the ground. He doesn't seem to be breathing, his eyes are rolled on the back in his head.""I said I do-"

"The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps to the operator : 'My friend is dead! What can I do?!'

"Did you hear m-""The operater, in a calm, soothing voice, says : 'Just take it easy. I can help. First make sure he's dead.'"

"Just shut u-"

"There is silence, then a gun shot is heard. The guy's voice comes back on the line. He says : 'Okay, now what?' Suddenly Ruka burst into laughter, falling onto his knees and banging onto the cave floor. "Hahahahaha! Oh god, that was funny."

He glanced at Hotaru, expecting her to laugh as well but her lips slowly formed a word that suddenly shot an electric current through Ruka's body. 'Annoying.'

"I…was sure you'd laugh…" Ruka muttered sadly.

Suddenly Hotaru giggled quietly. In Ruka's eyes, he saw roses and flowers bloom in the background from where Hotaru was standing. She looked…kind of…cute! But after giggling for less than three seconds, her face immediately faded back into her indifferent and blank expression. She turned and walked ahead of him, "…Geez, you really are stupid..."

"EH?!"

~**~

"N-Natsume!"

Mikan continued down the cave but Natsume was no where in sight. "NATSUME! Where are you?" Mikan stopped walking and came to realize that she was alone…in a haunted cave on a haunted island full of haunted things!!! Shivering, Mikan huddled into a little ball, deciding that it was best if she didn't move and get lost. She'd wait for someone to rescue her.

Behind her were two voices whispering to each other in the dark that Mikan didn't even seem to notice.

"Hey…Is that the girl?"

"I think so…She was hanging around with that rich celebrity, Natsume Hyuga…"

"A little money could do…We'll make a ransom with that rich bastard…"

Suddenly Mikan felt someone creep up behind her, "Natsu-?"

The man suddenly came up from behind her and tightly clasped her mouth. The other man took out a large knife and held it to her throat, "Don't move…"

_A boy at the age of ten looked at Mikan with angry and deadly eyes. He suddenly gripped her sleeve shirt and pulled her off the grond where she looked like she had been kneeling on. Bruises covered her feet and a bandage was on her forehead. The black-haired boy whipped out a knife and pulled it to her throat. She winced in pain as the boy threw her across the floor, "Steal the girl's alice before I make HIM disappear." _

_Tears welled up in her eyes, "N-No…Please…"_

_A girl with strawberry blonde hair that Mikan remembered when Ruka held her over the cliff glared at Mikan, "Hurry up, then. You don't want to make Principle Kuonji angry…."_

Mikan's eyes widened. She clutched her forehead in fear. What had she just remembered? Who was Principle Kuonji? Who was that boy who tried to kill her? Who was that girl with the strawberry blonde hair? Mikan closed her eyes and tried to remember. What if she really was the Mikan Sakura Natsume had loved? She tried to remember but her memories seemed to be in a million pieces and that she was only starting to put them together.

Mikan started panicking and kicking which annoyed the man holding her. "Damn brat!" A fist hit Mikan on the back of the head soon she fell to her knees. She tried to struggle back but the men were stronger and bigger.

She managed to scream, "NATSU-!!!" But the other man had kicked her hard on the back that made her lose unconsciousness…

'_Who is HIM? What has he got to do with me? What did the boy mean when he said that he could make HIM disappear? So many questions but all of them left unanswered…'_

_

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_This chapter wasn't that good! Sorry! At least there was a slight HotaruXRuka momment, right? ^_^ Oh, I'm planning to make Mikan remember soon. But that isn't just what is going to happen! There are more problems in the stor than just having Mikan lose her memories. I'm unsure what I should write for the next chapter...What do you guys think? Should Natsume be able to rescue Mikan or should I introduce Natsume's mother and a "special person"? PLEASE REVIEW~ Tell me what you think, okay?


	9. Rescue Mikan 2

I'm so sorry for the delay, everyone! Um..here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it and please review! Have a great summer, everyone!

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"Hey! Bring the girl in here!"

The man nodded and carried the unconscious Mikan into a limo, "Boss told us to capture a rich person who has a connection with Natsume Hyuga…"The man looked closely at Mikan, "Well…she was with him a lot."

"But…is she rich?"

"Hmm…" The man squinted his eyes then gasped.

"W-What is it?!"

"S-She's wearing a 30% Polyester coat!" He shuddered, "…Which costs approximately 6000 yen! (77.4678803 US Dollars)The two men looked at each other in horror, "I-I feel kind of sorry for her…"

"She's so…poor!" He turned around to look at her, "Um…how about we let her go?"

"Boss will kill us!"

"W-What should we do?! Return her?!"

"No! You idiot! We cant do that!" The man hauled Mikan under a pile of blankets, "SHE might not be rich but Natsume Hyuga is."

~**~

Natsume had walked too quickly in the cave and turned to look at Mikan who he thought would have been trailing behind. He didn't see her so he started walking the opposite direction where he thought that she would still be walking from. Suddenly Natsume stopped. He groaned as he clutched his forehead, "Damn it!" He ran quickly down the trail, yelling her name. "Mikan!" He pounded his head against the cave wall, "I'm so stupid! Stupid! …I promised you I would never let you leave me…" Natsume took off again, as fast as he could. "Mikan?!"

In the distant, Natsume could see a faint light and started running towards it. It was Ruka and Hotaru, looking at the panting and wheezing Natsume Hyuga.

Hotaru narrowed her eyes, "Where's Mikan?"

Natsume shook his head as he rested his palms on his thighs, panting heavily.

Ruka's eyes widened as he grabbed Natsume by his shirt collar, "What?! Where's Mikan?"

Natsume covered his face with his hand, "I don't know…"

Hotaru shook her head, "Oh. It must be the serial rapists…"

"RAPISTS???!!!!!" Natsume and Ruka exclaimed, their eyes bulging out of their eye sockets.

Ruka calmed down, "Maybe she's…lost?" He tried to convince himself, "Yeah…That might be why."

Now that Natsume had gained the momentum, he ran off again, having Ruka and Hotaru following behind.

Natsume cried out as loud as he could, "MIKAN!"

~**~

"NATSUME!!!" Mikan looked around the room she had now woken up in. She was sitting in a corner of a entirely white room. Her right leg was chained to the wall and she couldn't go much farther from the wall. "Where am I?" She stared at the door across from her. How was she going to get out the room? How was she going to escape? Suddenly a tall man walked into the room, holding a tray of food.

"Who are you?! Please let me get out of here!" Mikan cried out desperately, struggling against the chain.

"Just shut up! Wait till we call your Natsume Hyuga. Right now, you're the hostage." The man growled at her.

"B-But…What will happen then?" Mikan tilted her head curiously.

"He's gonna pay up. Maybe a few million and then we'll kill both of you." The man smirked and turned to leave the room.

"H-Hey! B-But…why both of us?! C-Cant you just kill me?! Only me?!"

"What? Do you think we're stupid enough to let your guys go free and then tell the cops on us? We're not that stupid. Now shut up and just wait…" The man slammed the door behind himself.

Mikan's eyes widened in fear, "K-Kill both of us?" She shivered uncontrollably, "Natsume…Don't make the deal. Don't come for me…"

"If you come, I will never ever forgive you…"

~**~

"Ruka! Did you find her yet?" Hotaru asked, running at the same time.

"N-No! I didn't!" Ruka turned his head to see Natsume taking out his phone, "What are you doing?!"

Natsume quickly held up his cell phone to his ear, "What do you want?" (His way of saying, "Hello?")

Suddenly Natsume dropped the phone as his eyes widened.

"Natsume, what is it?"

Natsume picked up the phone again, this time his hand was shaking. "Where the hell is she?!" He yelled into the phone. Natsume quieted down to hear the person's response, "W-What? 75 million dollars? Now? …Okay. If you dare hurt her, I will kill you…Let me talk to her!" Natsume growled, "What do you mean I cant?! Let me talk to her! …Okay. I will be the only one coming. I wont tell anybody." Natsume heard the other person on the line hang up on him.

"What is it?" Hotaru asked, walking up to him.

"…Nothing."

'_They want the money now. I cant get that much money this fast. I have to call my manager and my bank account_.' Natsume started to fidget with his fingers, obviously nervous and panicking. '_ll meet them at an abandoned house beside a Chinese restaurant called Golden Palace.. Ruka and Hotaru will be safer if they don't know. If anyone else knows about ransom, Mikan will be killed…' _

"What is it?! " Ruka tried to take a deep breathe. Suddenly he punched Natsume hard on the face, "You idiot! Why did you have to leave her like that?! Tell us what happened!"

Natsume rubbed his face but didn't say anything and ran off. Ruka and Hotaru could do nothing but follow behind.

~**~

Natsume held the two suitcases of money in both hands and towards a gray house that looked like no one had lived in it for about twenty years. He looked behind to make sure that Ruka and Hotaru were no longer following behind. Taking a deep breathe, he walked into the house. He opened the door to see a large group of men wearing black sunglasses. In the center of the room was a tied up Mikan with a blindfold over her face. "N-Natsume? Natsume! Go! Leave!"

Natsume ran up to her but one of the men blocked his way. Natsume was about to fight back but he was outnumbered. He no longer had his alice. What could he do now? "Here! The money! Now ju-"

Suddenly everyone turned their heads toward the door. They could hear sirens and police cars outside.

One of the men starting swearing, "What the hell?! You said you wouldn't call the cops!" Natsume's eyes widened, "I-I didn't!" Natsume looked over to Mikan. Did Ruka call the police? That idiot! Natsume ran past the man and towards Mikan. But before Natsume could even touch her, a gunshot was heard. Suddenly, Natsume saw blood come out from a wound on Mikan's arm. They just shot Mikan… Natsume watched as her head drooped to one side of the chair. Noise seemed to escape his ears. He couldn't hear the police surrounding the house. He couldn't hear the laughing of the men. He just heard the gun shot over and over in his head, continuously repeating. "Mikan…" Tears started to come out from his eyes but he tried to hold them in, "Mikan…?"

The next second, blood was spilled across the floor as the men were flung across the room. Their bodies were slammed against the walls and old furniture. Meanwhile, Mikan was suffering from the pain in her arm. She was still alive but she couldn't speak. She was too weak to move. Soon the blindfold fell from her eyes ands she was witnessing a scary side of Natsume Hyuga.

"WHO THE HELL SHOT HER?!" Natsume's eyes still remained bright red and frightening.

"Nat…su…me?" Mikan tried to call out but it was too quiet to hear.

"WHO?!"

Mikan shivered. He was acting scary….

"I'll kill you!!!" Natsume shouted angrily.

Mikan gulped and didn't say anthing. She shut her eyes as he walked over to the man in the corner of the room who was the only one who had a gun, "It was you, wasn't it? Your little neck is calling out to me, telling me to break it!"

The man started to panic, "I-I'm so sorry!!! Please forgive me!" Natsume managed to make the man drop his gun. Natsume pointed the gun at the man's face but wasn't satisfied with the man's horrified expression so he threw it behind him.

Natsume ignored the man's pleads as he wrapped his fingers around her neck. He used his hand to lift him inches away from the ground and squeezed tightly. The man's face turned from pink to red to blue to purple.

"Natsume!"

Natsume turned around to see Mikan hugging the arm he was using to strangle the man, "S-Stop it! Natsume!"

Natsume's other hand came across Mikan's face, his nails digging into her skin. But she didn't care, she was still hugging his arm.

For some reason, a part of Natsume told him to let go. Mitsuki fell to the ground, clutching her neck painfully.

"Natsume….Stop it." Mikan was still hugging onto Natsume's arm. "I don't want you to ever be like that again! Ever! Promise me you will never be like that again!"

Natsume calmed down, his eyes turned back to their normal dark red color. He placed his hands on Mikan's shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

"I'm sorry…." Natsume placed his hands on her shoulders, "Are you going to die?"

Mikan groaned but clutched her arm, "It hurts though…" She leaned her head against his shoulder, "It hurts…"

The man who had almost been strangled to death started to crawl towards the gun. All the other men were too busy thinking of a way to free themselves from the police surrounding the house. Suddenly someone walked into the house, it was Ruka.

"Mikan!" He stared at her arm, "Who shot you?!" Ruka picked up the gun that he found beside his feet and pointed it to the man crawling towards him. "I'll kill you…"

Mikan's eyes widened, "What are you thinking, Yuki?! You are not going to kill someone!"

"I-I don't care!" Ruka's hand was shaking as he lifted the gun towards the man's forehead. "I'm sorry but I can't forgive you." A loud gunshot was heard. Mikan watched in horror as the man fell to his knees right below Ruka's legs.

Natsume covered Mikan's eyes, "D-Don't look." Natsume looked up at Ruka angrilly, "Ruka…."

Mikan was about to scream before Natsume placed his hands over her mouth, "I-Its okay…"

Natsume looked up at Ruka, "You idiot! Even if y-"

Suddenly Mikan fainted from her wound and her body fell onto the floor. It had all happened to fast. The next thing Natsume saw was Ruka taking the gun and shooting his own leg. Ruka's cry was so loud, it could be even heard outside, "NATSUME!!! DON'T!!!!!!!!!!"

Natsume looked at Ruka, totally confused and worried. "R-Ruka!" Natsume ran over to his friend's aid. Why did Ruka just shoot himself?

Ruka mouthed a few words to Natsume, "I'm so sorry", before throwing the gun onto Natsume's lap.

Natsume frowned. What was happening? It was all so confusing. Suddenly the police came charging in. Someone, who Natsume suspected was the police chief, came in running towards Ruka. "What happened?!"

Ruka nodded and looked away from Natsume, "Y-Yes…He just shot me and killed that man over there." Ruka's hand was shaking as he pointed at Natsume. Directly at Natsume's face.

A few seconds later, many police men tried to handcuff Natsume. "W-What?! What are you doing?!"

A police man walked over to the man who Ruka had shot before and checked his pulse, "H-He's still alive! Bring him to the hospital! Hurry!"

Natsume looked around before his eyes laid on Ruka's guilty looking face, "Ruka, Y-You…set me up…" A couple of people brought Mikan out to the ambulance as police men tried to bring Natsume into the police car.

Natsume struggled against the men, "What the hell?! Let go of me!" Natsume attempted to punch one of them but knew that it would only make things worse. "Where are you taking me?!" Natsume glared at the police chief.

The chief's body tensed, "To jail, of course…I don't care if you're a famous actor or whatever, I'm bringing you to jail…" He looked away to wipe away his tears, "E-Even if I'm a huge fan…"

Natsume took a last look at Ruka before he got into the police car, _'Why, Ruka?' _

~**~

Mikan opened her eyes to see herself in the hospital, tubes of all sorts covering her body. She yawned tiredly before remembering what had just happened. She quickly shot out of bed and started towards the door, "Natsume!" She started banging on the locked door before realizing that Ruka Nogi was standing behind her, looking as if he was going to raised her eyebrows before running over to him, "Yuki! W-What's wrong?" She looked down towards his leg to see it wrapped in many layers to stop some sort of bleeding. "Did you get shot?! Are you okay?!" Mikan frowned, "Its all my fault that I got kidnapped and caused you to get hurt. I'm so sorry."

Ruka smiled, "No! Its not your fault…I…just feel kind of…" _Should I tell her? Should I tell her the truth?_

"Yuki, what is it?"

"Its…nothing." Ruka tried to force a smile, "I'm glad you're okay."

"Y-Yeah, I'm okay!" She beamed but her smile slowly faded away, "Do…you know where Natsume is?"

"Huh? Oh…uh…he…" Ruka turned away, "I'm not sure if I should tell you this…But…"

"What? What happened?" Mikan sat on the bed, eager to hear her question answered.

"He…was the one who shot me…and nearly killed a man…" Ruka winced, _'Ugh…I have to keep on lying to you, Mikan…'_

"WHAT?!" Mikan's eyes widened, "WHAT?!" Her jaw dropped open, "B-But why?"

"He was…" Ruka tried to think of what to tell her, "He was jealous of me being your boyfriend…"

Mikan tilted her head, "J-Jealous? You mean…he was really jealous?" Mikan tried to hide her smile… _'Heh. So Natsume really does…WHAT AM I THINKING?! He just shot my boyfriend! He's an sadistic and perverted guy who's just using me because I look like a girl he used to like! That jerk!' _

"Mikan?" Ruka shook Mikan's shoulders to wake her up from her thinking, "Are you listening?"

"Y-Yeah!" Mikan nodded, "So…where is he?""He's in jail…I think. I think he's at the police force right now…" Ruka stopped continuing his sentence when he saw tears falling down her cheeks, "Mikan?"

Mikan covered her face, "What? I don't understand…Natsume wouldn't do something like that…"

"Mikan…" Ruka tried to wrap his hands around her but she pushed them away.

"Yuki…I…." She looked up at him, "I clearly remember seeing you shoot the other man though…Didn't you tell me that Natsume did?"

Ruka's body tensed. Damn it, she was awake that time wasn't she? "Uh…are you sure? I would never shoot anyone!" Ruka lied, praying that she would believe him.

"Okay. I was probably imagining it…" Mikan rubbed her forehead and looked at Ruka suspiciously.

"Y-Yeah, from the loss of blood." Ruka nodded in agreement.

"Is…there any way we could get Natsume out of jail?"

"Huh? Uh…I don't know…" Ruka sighed, "Mikan, that means that you don't have to pretend to be his wife anymore…right? Isn't it better that he's in jail?"

"Shut up!"

"Huh?" Ruka was suddenly shocked by Mikan's reply, "Uh…sorry."

Mikan nervously covered her mouth, "I-I didn't mean to say it that way…Just…lets just try to get him back…""Why?"

"He…I just want to." Mikan looked away, "Hey. He didn't kill anyone right? He just injured them, right? Anyway, he's a celebrity, right?"

"R-Right."

"So….if we would pay the fines and charges, he would get out of jail right?"

"Y-Yeah…" '_What? I got him in jail and now I'm helping him out of jail…?' _"Mikan…What's up with you? Are you more worried about him more than me?"

"W-What?!" Mikan reached over to touch Ruka's arm, "Of course not!"

"Okay…." Ruka looked away.

~**~

It had been a week since Mikan was shot in the arm. She was finally allowed to be brought home from the hospital, "Okay! Now for my Natsume rescue plan!" She walked over to Natsume's bed and pulled her piggy bank from under the bed. She placed it on the floor and got her hammer ready to crack open the piggy bank. But before she lifted the hammer above her head, she stopped. Nasume had shot a man and shot Ruka right? Why would she want to rescue him when he did such bad things? Especially, to her boyfriend too. She hesitated, why was she doing this? Didn't she hate him? Didn't she want him to leave her? No. Things were different now. She wanted to be with me, even if he did bad things. She wanted to be with him… Mikan brought the hammer down as hard as she could and watched as her thirteen year old piggy bank smash before her eyes. She expected to see loads of gold. She moved the pieces of broken porcelain out the way to find…a load of change. She searched around for at least some paper money but all she saw was change. Tears welled up in her eyes. Was this the amount of money she saved since she was two years old?! What?! Mikan gathered the money from the piggy bank and placed it in her wallet. She looked up at the ceiling and beamed, "Its okay! This will be enough money!"

~**~

Mikan walked up to the police chief and placed the money on his desk, "C-Can you please release Natsume from his cell now?"

The man shook his head, "You're the one hundred and seventy fourth girl to come here to ask that today…"

"Huh? So…can you release him now?" Mikan pleaded him eagerly.

"The boy is already released!""EH?!" Mikan's palms slammed the desk, "What?!"

"His girlfriend, that pretty model, Mitsuki Konan, came and paid everything already." "WHAT?! HIS GIRLFRIEND?!" Mikan eyes widened in horror as she pounded her fists against his desk , "B-BUT I'M…HIS WIFE!"

* * *

I dont really like this chapter. But please review! No flames, please.

* * *


	10. The Sanctuary

THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS!!! I LOVE REVIEWS!!! Oh Mitsuki Konan is just an OC character I made up. I thought Luna shouldn't be Mikan's rival because she's *SPOILER* like 26 years old and about 31 years old in the story so she'd be too old! Anyway, Luna doesn't really love Natsume at all. She just wants to make Mikan suffer! Anyway, please review!!! I'm going to make Mikan remember her memories soon!

* * *

Mikan was about to break the phone in her hands, "STUPID NATSUME!!" She screamed into the phone.

"I'm not able to answer the ph-"

" I EVEN WENT THROUGH ALL THE TROUBLE OF COMING TO TRY TO GET YOU OUT OF JAIL!" Mikan slammed hir fists onto the police man's desk.

"Leave a message after the beep or don't even bother to call back…"

"What?! Don't even think of avoiding me, Natsume Hyuga!" Mikan yelled.

She dialed his number again. She had called him eleven times but he didn't even answer any of her calls. "N-Natsume!" Tears welled up in her eyes but she tried to hold it in, "Why am I crying over this? He already has a different girl to help him out of jail and rescue him and…and…AGH! I'm just so angry!" She sobbed into the police man's shoulder who tried to comfort her.

"Um…are you…jealous?" The man asked, looking at Mikan.

"NO! OF COURSE NOT!!! He could stay in jail for all I care!"

"Right." The man sighed_. "Young love, right ?"_

~**~

"Mitsuki, let me go home now." Natsume growled, irritated as he was riding in the famous model's limo.

The girl played with her long black hair, "Aren't you happy that I got you out of jail?" She giggled, "You should repay me with a date."

"What the hell?" Natsume glared at her, "I have to go to the hospital to see someone…"

Mitsuki held onto the ringing phone again, "Seriously, this girl has to stop calling you."

Natsume's eyes widened as he reached out for the phone but Mitsuki threw it out of the car window before he could manage it.

"Focus on me for once!" She pouted, "We're going to get married soon, right?"

"I never agreed to any marriage…" Natsume leaned against the car.

"You promised!"

"When?"

"When we were little!" She crawled closer to him, "You promised you would marry me and we would have five kids!"

Natsume tried to think of when he had said that…

_Natsume Flashback…_

"_Natsume-kun!"_

"_What the hell do you want?" A little boy about the age of seven sat in the sandbox and tried to make a sand castle. He glared up at the black haired girl who was four years older than him . She was his mother's best friend's daughter._

"_When we grow up, we can live in a big mansion. I can be a model and you can be a singer! We can get married and we cou-"_

"_Not interested." Natsume muttered angrily, frustrated with his continuously collapsing sand castle._

"_B-But!" She started to cry, "I want to get married!"_

"_Well, I sure don't." Natsume snapped. _

_Mitsuki's hair suddenly stuck up at the ends and it looked like fire was burning in her mouth, "WE WILL GET MARRIED." She growled angrily. She took out a large and sharp bread knife out and pointed at the little boy's face. "PROMISE ME WE WILL GET MARRIED AND HAVE FIVE KIDS."_

_The boy calmly shook his head, "No way." _

_Natsume smiled to see that his second sand castle was finally standing. He smiled at his two sandcastles._

_Suddenly Mitsuki raised the knife above her head and came down with it as hard as she could. Natsume looked beside him to see his sand castle sliced in half and crumbling from Mitsuki's knife. "M-MY SANDCASTLE!!!" _

_Natsume stared at her in horror as he went over to the other surviving sand castle and protected it with his arms. "WE WILL GET MARRIED AND HAVE FIVE KIDS!" Mitsuki glared at him, "Or else." She pointed the knife at the remaining sand castle. _

_He hesitated, "Do I have to?" _

"_Or else!" She raised the bread knife over her head._

_Natsume sighed and nodded. Yeah, he'd just agree to it for now for his sand castle's safety. Whatever, she'd probably forget it when she grew up…_

"_Now tell me that you love me!" Mitsuki demanded, stomping her feet impatiently._

_Natsume groaned. "I love you, ….you ugly bitch…" He muttered, angrily._

"_WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Mitsuki boomed._

"_Uh…" Natsume went over and wrapped his hands around her and grimaced, "…I mean, sweetie." _

"Remember now, Natsume Hyuga?" She giggled, "Now we'll get married and get rid of your wife right now."

"But I only agreed to it because you threatened me…""B-But…" Mitsuki covered her face to hide her falling tears.

Natsume smiled at her, "Mitsuki…" He took her hand and pulled it to his face and smiled. Mitsuki could feel her heart beat quickly, "N-Natsume…"

"Go to hell." Natsume let go of Mitsuki's hand and turned the opposite direction.

"W-What?!" Mitsuki began to cry, "I…I….But…."

"Natsume!"

Natsume looked behind at the seat behind him and saw his mother there, "What?"

"You're getting married to Mitsuki whether you like it or not."

Natsume tried to protest, "But I have Mikan…"

"I'm not letting you marry a girl who's from a poor family. Anyway, you can forget her. Weren't you just using her because she looked like Mikan Sakura?"

"Its not like that…." Natsume frowned, "I think she really is Mikan I've been looking for…"

"How many years have it been?" His mother straightened out her blouse, "….You've been looking for her for so many years now. You should forget her. She might not even be Mikan."

"I don't care…Even if she isn't…" Natsume looked up at his mother. "I still…"

Natsume didn't care anymore, he opened the limo's door lock and jumped out of the moving car. A car driving beside them honked at him and nearly hit him. Natsume ignored his mother and Mitsuki's calls and ran to the sidewalk and towards his mansion where he hoped Mikan would be.

~**~

"Mikan, did you get everything yet?" Mikan and Ruka were packing things at Natsume's mansion and getting ready for Mikan to come back home with him.

"Not really."

Ruka was silent for a while and took a deep breath. "Mikan…"

"Hmmm?"

"Will you go to France with me?" Ruka's face turned red, "We could go there. Just you and me."

He watched as her eyes widened but she didn't say anything. Ruka bit his lip. Of course, she still loved Natsume right?

"Sure." Mikan smiled.

A big grin grew on Ruka's face, "R-Really? Are you sure?"

Mikan nodded happily, "Of course!" Her face turned pink as she fidgeted with her fingers, "B-But you…know… What would happen between you and me…when we got there?"

Ruka tilted his head, "Uh…what do you mean?"

Mikan blushed and turned the opposite direction, "F-Figure it out, you idiot."

Ruka gasped. Did she mean…?!"Marriage?" Ruka leaned closer, " Do you want me to marry you?" Ruka pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"What?" Mikan giggled, "Do…you not want to?"

Ruka couldn't believe his ears. He didn't know what to say. Ruka could feel his heart beating so fast. This…was unbelievable…He wasn't sure if he would run around the house dancing or just take it in calmly…

"But Yuki, …I'll only marry you after you and I make enough money for a house in France, okay?"

He took her hand and pulled her face towards his, "Mikan…" For the five years he lived with her, he had never made a move on her…unlike Natsume. He was about to kiss her when suddenly…

"RRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Ruka glared at the phone, "I swear, I'll kill the person on the other line!" He walked over and picked it up, "Oh! ….Hi Hotaru."

Mikan started packing up again as Ruka talked with Hotaru on the phone. She clutched her chest. Was she really ready for marriage? She loved Ruka, didn't she? But…then…why was she so unsure of her feelings?

Mikan didn't say anything as she searched around for her underwear, "I…just cant find my underwear!"

Putting the phone down, Ruka's face turned red, "Well…check again…"

Mikan looked around but she couldn't find a single underwear. She pouted. Where could it be? Suddenly Mikan recalled something that she didn't want to remember…

_Natsume stretched out the neck of his T-shirt and placed the panties inside his white shirt. "There. The forty fifth addition to my 'Mikan's Underwear Collection."_

"_F-F-Forty…fifth?!" Mikan's red face was now glowing bright in the dark room. _

"_I'll show you my Mikan Underwear sanctuary tomorrow." _

"_Y-Y-You…."_

"_But you can only enter with one entry of a panty." _

"_Y-Y-You…"_

"_Go to sleep, banana paradise." _

"_N-N-N….N….N….NAAAAATSUUUUUUMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"_

Mikan threw her suitcase of stuff across the room, "Yuki, we must find that sanctuary!"

"Uh…what sanctuary?"

"M-My…." Mikan's face was beet red, "My….u-underwear….sanctuary…"

~**~

Natsume opened the door of the mansion to see suitcases and boxes of Mikan's clothes and possessions. Was she leaving? Natsume looked around for Mikan but he couldn't find her. "Mikan!"

Why was she leaving?He looked at a pile of magazines and newspapers on the living room table. He lifted the first magazine from the pile. He read the cover aloud, "Mitsuki Konan released Natsume Hyuga from jail. Has Natsume been cheating on his wife, Mikan Ishikawa? Who is the man that Mikan has been caught hugging? See Page Five To Find Out…"

Natsume's eyes widened as he flipped through the piles of magazines as he found the magazine about Mitsuki Konan. "It has been officially released that Mitsuki Konan is Natsume's true fiance and that Natsume's substitute for his past love, Mikan, will be divorced with."

Natsume crumpled the magazine as he ran throughout the house looking for her. He needed to think of an explanation to her that she wasn't a substitute for Mikan Sakura but he actually really…

Natsume sat down on the couch, frustrated. Ruka had set him up to get in jail and now the public thinks that he's cheating on Mikan. Too many things were happening! But Natsume didn't care about half of it all. He just wanted Mikan to remember him and to stay.

~**~

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Mikan tried to dodge the spikes that was coming from the ground. Ruka beside her was desperately trying to climb out a deep pit, "N-Natsume sure set out a lot of traps protecting the sanctuary… AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

"I…didn't know he hid it in the basment!" Mikan tried to grab onto the wall so she wouldn't step on the spikes but lost her grip and landed right between two large spikes. She laughed in relief as she tried to crawl between the spikes before he came upon a door, "W-We finally reached it!"

Ruka scurried behind her, obviously scared but trying to cover it up. They tried to turn the door handle but it was locked. Suddenly a voice came out of nowhere, "You can only enter with a entry of one Mikan panty."

Mikan's jaw dropped. He wasn't serious, was he?

_I'll show you my Mikan Underwear sanctuary tomorrow." _

"_Y-Y-You…."_

"_But you can only enter with one entry of a panty." _

The problem was that Mikan had only one pair on underwear at the moment…The one that she was wearing right now. She grimaced, "Ugh…That pervert Natsume…" But for the sake of her underwear, she was willing to take off the underwear she had on now and place it into a chute that was sticking on the wall beside the door. Mikan turned around to Ruka and blushed furiously, "Yuki…could you….turn around for a minute? I'm going to change…"Quickly, Ruka whipped around. He heard Mikan ruffle through her clothes and couldn't help but to turn around and peek….Just a little peek wouldn't hurt, right? But when he even managed to twist his neck around to look, Mikan's leg came across his face with such hard force that Ruka was flung across the basement and out of sight. "PERVERT!"

Mikan dangled her completely white underwear over the underwear chute and let go. She watched and waited for the door to open this time. Suddenly the voice came over the speakers again, "Access denied. The underwear does not belong to Mikan."

Mikan's eyes widened, "B-But it is! I'm Mikan! And that's my underwear!" She kicked the door, "Let me in! What makes you think it isn't mine?!"

"Its not colorful and doesn't have any patterns." The voice replied as it started fading out.

"WHAT?! Let me in!!!" Mikan cried, banging on the door. She pulled her short skirt down, "At least, give me my underwear back!"

Mikan's face was red. What was she going to do? She didn't have a single underwear anymore. She kicked the machine, "You stupid machine! Just because it isn't colorful, doesn't mean that it isn't my underwear!"

Pushing her skirt down to not reveal anything, she moved slowly across the spikes to get out of the basement. Suddenly the spikes came up again and one of them got caught on Mikan's skirt. She tugged on her skirt to get away from the spikes. She yanked too hard and a huge piece of fabric tore off from the skirt. She scurried away, not realizing that the back majority of her skirt was gone and showing her…yeah.

She met up with Ruka laying on the ground near the "exit."

"Mikan…?" Ruka rubbed the back of his head, "Do you want to go home now?"

Mikan turned around. "Bye Natsume…" She whispered before turning to her boyfriend, "Yeah. Lets go."

~**~

Mikan panted heavily as she finally got out of the basement. She collapsed over the carpet floor, "Where did he get all those traps…?" She slowly crawled towards the living room and onto the sofa when she realized that there was a boy sleeping on it.

"N-NATSUME!" She yelled, slapping him from across the face. He didn't wake up but his head drooped to the side of the bed.

He stared at her face for along time before his eyes opened wide, "M-Mikan?"

Mikan was so angry at him, "You have a fiance…."

Natsume didn't say anything and got off the coach, holding tight on Mikan's wrist. "You know what? Its time I took you to Gakuen Alice."

"G-Gakuen Alice?" Mikan asked, tilting her head curiously. She watched as Natsume dragged her behind him, "L-Let me go!"

She looked around, "Yuki! Help me!"

Ruka came up to Natsume and pushes his hand away, "…Stop interfering, Natsume."

Mikan looked away, "I'm going to get married to Ruka soon too."

Natsume clenched his fists and looked at Ruka angrily, "W-What…?"

"Don't act like you actually care, Natsume. You're getting married to Mitsuki so you better start paying attention to her." Mikan said sternly before she followed Ruka out of the mansion.

Natsume stood up and grabbed her shirt sleeve, "Mikan!"

"I told you, I'm not Mikan Sakura!" Mikan screamed, pushing his hand away. "Why do you always have to compare the both of us?! I'm me! I'm not any other Mikan! Cant you just look at me?! Only me?!" Tears streamed down her face as she clasped her mouth. What was she saying? She didn't care less if he loved her because she looked like his past love…right?

"Mikan…" Natsume took a step towards her but then stopped when he saw her crying angrily.

"Natsume…I HATE YOU!"

Natsume felt as if Mikan just stabbed him through the heart. "H-Hate me?"

Natsume's eyes drifted down to Mikan's skirt and noticed that she was missing a huge patch and that...

Natsume just stared and didn't say anything.

"Hey...What are you sta-" Mikan suddenly remembered that she wasn't wearing any underwear..."D-Dont look!" She screamed, her face beet red, "D-Dont look!!!"

Ruka's eyes widend, "Mikan...YOu aren't...."

"I SAID DONT LOOK!!!" Mikan screamed in embarrassment as she left the house with Ruka following behind.

Natsume watched as she and Ruka run away "I-I let you leave…" He sighed, "And I wanted to see it a little longer too...."

Natsume didn't know what to do. Suddenly, he accidentally stepped onto his T.V. remote and the T.V. in front of him quickly turned on.

Natsume watched as a famous athlete was being interviewed. "Tell us, Ryoma Echizen. Seeing that you can attract girls so easily, tell us…How do you do it?"

Ryoma tried to find the answer to the reporter's question, "Well it is isn't easy. You cant steal the heart of someone without a fight, you know? Sometimes you try to make that person jealous as you go hugging or pretending to like someone else. Then, you can be sure of the person's feelings. But then you'll notice the person you like doing the same, trying to make you jealous. Then, you enter war but you have to keep on fighting…"

Natsume raised his eyebrows, "That's it!" He had to keep on fighting, didn't he? He had to make her jealous, right? Natsume smirked. He wasn't going to let her escape him this time… Natsume stood and bowed to the T.V. screen, "…Thanks for the advice."

He took his jacket and started towards the door…

* * *

Hahahaha! Ryoma Echizen! Do you guys know who that is? Yep, a very famous athelete with strange and weird advice! PLEASE REVIEW!!! Next chapter will be introducing a guy with black messy hair and a star under his eye! ^_^ I didn't like writing the Ruka/Mikan scene!!! I'm glad Hotaru saved Mikan from that kiss Ruka was going to give her. It was hard for some reason. Oh for the underwear sanctuary...It was so fun writing about that. I didn't make Mikan get into it because I want to leave it to your guy's imagination about what the sanctuary looks like...*shudders* Oh and I just realized that lots of readers hate Ruka. Did I really make him too evil? So what do you guys think? Is Ruka evil or is he okay? What is your opinion of Ruka? I want to know, please!

PLEASE REVIEW!!! Have a great summer! Thank you for reading! ^_^


	11. A New Job

AHHHHH!!!! I haven't updated in such a long time!!! I went on vacation to California and I didn't have internet to update so I am so sorry!!! Um....I personally think my stories are getting a bit corny but I hope you like it! Please review!!! Thanks!

* * *

_Mikan walked over to her desk and took a large wrapped gift and threw it into Natsume's hands, "Here." _

_Natsume stared up at him, "What is this? It isn't Christmas yet…"_

_"It doesn't have to be! Now just open it…"_

_"…" He removed all the packaging to find a bracelet with a little kitty pattern on it. "…Its…"_

_"Huh?" She leaned closer, "It took me three whole months of work to be able to get it from Hotaru."_

_"...."  
_

_"Um…it records what you say…" She took the bracelet from him and showed him the button. "So when you want to say something important to me in the future, just record it and let me hear it someday…"_

_"…" Natsume looked at the ground, "Why...."_

_" Oh and I have one too! Mine is patterned with doggies instead of kitties." _

_"…record?" _

_"Yeah. Someday we'll trade bracelets so we can hear we have to say to each other!" Mikan beamed, "Oh and once you put the bracelet on, you can only take it off when you bite it."_

_"…Bite?"_

_"Yeah. Only when you bite the bracelet, it'll come off."_

_"But the kitty design is so dorky, its tragic."_

_"HEY! I got that for you!" Mikan pouted, "I worked really hard too!"_

_"Whatever…" Natsume smiled, "Thanks."  
_

~**~

"Mikan, you should get a job so that we could make enough money for the plane tickets and stuff."

"A-A job?" Mikan scratched the back of her head, "But what could I do?"

"Well, I'm going to be a assistant vet for a while…Um…you could…sell stuff!" Ruka insisted, nodding.

"Yeah, like clothes, right?" Mikan imagined herself selling clothes. She had never really had a job before. Ruka did everything he could to take care of Mikan, himself.

"I'll call my friend. He opens a small clothing store…its an illegal store though…Do you want to take the risk?"

Mikan clasped her hands together, "A clothing store? Oh! Cool!"

~**~

"Please buy shirts! Jeans! Buy two T-shirts, get one free!" Mikan cried out as the busy illegal outdoor market was filled with loud noise from the shops and stores. She sat on a chair tiredly. There was barely any purchases today. She watched as the busy market had people passing by. "Buy two pants, uh…get third one 75% off!"

Still nobody came. Suddenly someone wearing a suit passed through the store and started coughing. Mikan beamed, "Yay! A customer! How may I he-" She walked towards the man who had his back facing her. She reached for his shoulder as he turned around. It was…

"Natsume!!!" Mikan scowled and turned away, folding her hands over her chest, "You aren't welcome here! Go away!"

He raised his eyebrows, "I'm a customer and you have to sell clothes to me." He looked around the clothing racks, "Wow. These clothes smell and they are so ugly.""Then leave!" Mikan snapped angrily, "I don't need you to waste your dirty money on these clothes."

"…I'll take it all."

"Eh…what?" Mikan turned around again, "What do you mean?"

"I said, I'll buy everything in this store." Natsume shruggex, "Do you have a problem with that?"

Mikan didn't know what to say, "R-Really? You…don't need to….I mean, go away! I'm not selling to the likes of you!"

"But I'm your hubby. We're still married you know." He reached down and grabbed her wrist.

"Divorce!" Mikan struggled against his grip, "I want divorce!"

"Fine. Fine." Natsume shrugged, "I guess you really wont sell me everything. Okay…" Natsume walked away casually.

"Don't come back!" Mikan cried after him, "Don't ever come back!" She slumped onto her chair, "That jerk…"

Suddenly an entire crowd of woman came charging towards Mikan's store. They were like rampaging bulls. They walked into her shop and starting buying anything they could get their eyes on. Surprised, Mikan made her way through the store, showing the dozens of woman the new styles the store had purchased. She laughed happily. For some reason, business was going well. "Please buy this skirt. Its on sale." She suggested an elderly woman who bought it right away. Trying to grab for all the money the woman for giving her, she saw Natsume standing outside, giving her an unreadable plain expression. Mikan came to wonder if Natsume had anything to do with all these woman coming to buy her clothes. She tried to hide her smile by giving him a rude scoff. After buying about ten clothing articles each, the woman ran towards Natsume who tried to get away. A fat lady with little hands went over and pinched Natsume in the cheek, "Awww! You are so cute, Natsume Hyuga!" Another lady came over and gave him a slobbery kiss on the cheek, "You promised you would give us a kiss on the hand if we bought ten items from that store!"

Natsume tried to find an excuse out of his promise, "Uh…well…"Mikan couldn't hold in her laughter. He actually made that promise just for her. At least, he put in a little effort… She looked at his pleading eyes but she decided to leave him kissing the hands of all the wrinkly old ladies. "Thank you, Natsume."

~**~

Mikan pulled a big and heavy bag of clothes through the subway station, "Argh!!!" She swung it over her shoulder and walked towards the ticket booth until she saw HIM walking right behind her.

He gave her that sly smile again, "What a coincidence, we meet again."

"You stalker!" Mikan cried, turning away from him. "Go away!"

"Here. Let me help you with those bags." Natsume reached for the bag and tried to carry it but it was too heavy for him. He was way out of shape. All he ever did was sing and use up that money. He never did any exercise anymore, unlike Mikan. But if Mikan saw him struggling with something that she could do easily, she wouldn't see him as a cool and strong man anymore. So when her back was turned, he would struggle with the bag and when she was looking, he swung the bag over his shoulder to look…manly.

She searched her pockets for money to pay for her tickets, "Darn it. I left it at the store…"

Natsume suddenly whipped out his credit card and placed it onto the ticket booth's desk, "I'll pay for her."

The girl behind the booth shook her head, "I'm sorry but we don't accept credit cards here."

"Oh…" Natsume searched his wallet for real cash but he couldn't find anything. "…" 'Damn it, Natsume! Mikan will think you're poor!'

Mikan gave a "Hmph!" before turning the opposite direction of the subway station, "I guess I'll just have to walk then."

"No wait…" Natsume ran after her, "I could drive you home."

"No thank you." She replied, sternly.

"Why are you so angry at me?" Natsume asked, trying to keep up with her pace.

Mikan didn't want to answer him and just kept walking. But then her stomach growled furiously.

"…Are you hungry?""No! N-Not at all!" Mikan lied, trying to walk ahead of him.

"I'll take you somewhere to eat…"Mikan tried to shake her head 'no' but her stomach won her over. She crouched down to clutch her stomach, "…Okay…"

~**~

Mikan looked around at the restaurant she was at and watched at the people who were staring at her. She was sweaty, dirty, and she stood out in the fancy Western restaurant. What would they think if they saw Natsume Hyuga's wife selling clothes in an illegal market?

~**~

Mikan walked into the store. For some reason, it was now indoors and the store was greatly expanded. "Hello? I'm Mikan. I…work here!"

Suddenly a girl with long black hair stepped out from the back of the store. She was skipping towards Mikan when she suddenly saw Mikan's face, "Y-You! You're Mikan Ishikawa!"

Mikan tilted her head…She recognized this person…But who? The girl was really pretty. Much prettier than she was, anyway.

"Y-Yes. I work here. Do you work here?"

Mitsuki frowned at Mikan, "Now I know why he bothered to buy this store…"

"Huh?"

Mitsuki pulled onto Mikan's pigtail, "You know what? You're fired!"

"…Why?" Mikan struggled against the girl, "Hey! Let me go!"

"Mitsuki!" A low and raspy voice called from behind the store, "Come here. And bring that employee in here."

Mitsuki glared at Mikan before letting go of her hair, "Whatever. You're no competition for me. I'm much prettier and cuter than you'll ever be."

Mikan frowned. Who was this Mitsuki girl and what did she want? Mitsuki left Mikan to stand in the store and came back with the contract paper. "The manager told you to sign this. I don't know what it is but just sign."

Mikan looked at the contract. The rules and information about the contract was about three pages long. Just looking at the words made her dizzy so Mikan just went off to sign the contract without reading anything.

Suddenly a guy who seemed to be twenty walked into the store. He had messy black hair, heart racing blue eyes, and a star tattoo below his eye. "What do you wan-"

The guy's eyes laid onto Mikan's face. Suddenly his eyes widened and tears burst out. "Y-You're…really…MIKAN!!!" He charged towards Mikan and wrapped his arms around her. He began drowning her in his tears and killing her slowly with his hugs, "Oh my god!!! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!!!!"

Mikan didn't know what to do. When the guy let go of her, he beamed at her. This guy…looked so familiar.

"You…" She pointed at his face, "Who are you?"

Suddenly the guy lifted up one of the clothing racks and threw it across the store, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, WHO ARE YOU?! I'M YOUR SEMPAI!!! YOUR SEMPAI, TSUBASA!!!!" He screamed in her ear.

"O-Okay." Mikan smiled, "Hello Tsubasa-sempai."

Suddenly Tsubasa beamed again and gave Mikan a big hug, "I don't care!!! You're still too cute to get mad at!"

"Stop touching her, Tsubasa." A voice growled behind them.

Mikan turned around to see Natsume Hyuga carrying a box with clothing in it, "Mikan. Get me that box over there."

Mikan scowled, "What are you doing here, Natsume?! And why are you bossing me around?!"

"That's because…" Natsume sighed, "Don't you see? I'm your manager now."

"Eh?" Mikan's body froze stiff, "I-I…QUIT!!!!" Mikan turned around to leave the store.

Mitsuki appeared again and wrapped her hands around Natsume's arm, "Okay! Bye bye!"

"Wait." Natsume grabbed Mikan's shoulder, "The contract."

"What about it?!"

"…You cant quit unless I fire you. It's a lifetime dedication to…me." Natsume gave an evil smile, "So you cant go. Okay?"

"…ARRGGH!!! Fine then! I'll get to working without looking at your face!" Mikan cried, walking over to Tsubasa.

Mitsuki glared at Mikan, "But Natsume! Why? Why did you have to buy this store? Is it because of her?" Mitsuki pointed at Mikan's face.

Natsume ignored Mitsuki and turned to Tsubasa, "Tsubasa, Are you going to work here then?"

The guy grinned, "Of course! I have to protect Mikan from the likes of you!"

Mikan looked up at Tsubasa, "You're so cool, sempai!"

Tsubasa ran over and engulfed Mikan in hugs again, "SO CUTE! SO CUTE!!!"

"I said, don't touch her!"

"Sweetie, answer me!"

"Let go of me, Natsume!""SO CUTE! SO CUTE!!!"Mikan was about to enter hell now. She was now working for her sworn enemy and she was working with a pretty model who was scheming to get rid of her. What's Mikan to do?

~**~

Natsume peered over at Mikan who was sorting out the clothing boxes. He stared at her for a long time. Everything she said or did reminded him of Mikan Sakura. But she was Mikan Ishikawa, right? There was a big difference between them. Mikan Sakura was more stupid and understood things slower and Mikan Ishikawa was more hot-tempered. But if Mikan Ishikawa was not Mikan Sakura, Natsume…wouldn't really mind. Sure, he loved Mikan Sakura. But still, he also…

BRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGGGGG!!!

Mikan ran over to the telephone. She pressed her ear to the phone. On the other line was Ruka Nogi. Natsume was seated right beside her, not letting her out of his sight.

Mikan glared at Natsume as she lowered he receiver to her mouth, "I miss you a lot."

Mikan blushed slightly and turned to see Natsume's reaction who turned away at the same time.

Ruka smiled, "M-Me too."

Natsume rolled his eyes, "Damn love birds…"

Mikan ignored Natsume, "Yuki. What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Oh…um…"

"Tell me!"

"Well…can I see you right now?"

"W-Why? Can't you tell me right now?"

"N-No. I want to tell you in private and personally."

"Oh…um…okay!"

"UH…we'll talk about it when we get to the spring festival tonight…S-See you. Bye."

"Bye!" Mikan sat on a stool, tingling with happiness and excitement that tonight she would go on a date with Ruka. Natsume didn't say anything, he had a pained and hurt look on his face. "…What was he going to talk to you about?" Natsume asked, not taking his eyes off her face.

"T-That's none of your business!" Mikan shot at him, turning her head away from him.

"Yes it is." Natsume played with his jacket sleeve, "I don't want you to go on a date with someone else."

"Well I don't care! Why don't you go on a date with the Mitsuki girl!"

Mikan laughed, thinking that it was a joke. Why did he care? But for a slight second, she actually thought he was jealous.

Natsume stared at the ground. Maybe he should go too?

"Mikan! Hang up my jacket for me!"

Mikan clenched her fists. What was she? A servant?! She said nothing and obediently took his jacket.

She walked over to the clothing rack but then she saw something slip out of one of the jacket pockets She picked it up. Mikan examined it closely…It was just a red pebble. Little did she know that it was Natsume's Alice Stone that she had used her Alice to take out of his body.

"Mikan?" Natsume called from behind, "What are you doing?"

Mikan looked down at the pebble in the palm of her hand, "What's this?"

"It's something…someone very important made for me. Mikan Sakura did."

Mikan nodded, "It's very pretty."

"…I think I should throw it away.""W-Why?"

Natsume looked at Mikan, "I think I should…move on without Mikan Sakura now."

Mikan's eyes widened, "What? No! Don't! Keep it! W-What if she comes back?!"

Natsume frowned suspiciously, "Why do you care so much?"

"….I….don't really know…I just don't want you to forget her."

Natsume looked at her face for a long time before putting it around his neck, "If you want me to keep it, I will."

Mikan noticed something for the first time, she reached over and pulled his right hand up to her face. It had a kitty design on it. "Aww! How cute, Natsume! I never though you liked kitties!"

Natsume looked at her sadly, "Mikan gave it to me."

"Ohhh…Hey." She pressed the button, "There's a little button here!"

"Mikan, don't pre-"

To Mikan's surprise, Natsume's face suddenly turned beet red. A voice came from the bracelet. It was Natsume's voice… "Finally, it works. Mikan…this is weird but…uh….Hey, is this thing on? Oh…um…okay…uh…well…."

Mikan peered up at Natsume who seemed to be…"N-Natsume! Are you crying?!"

"What the hell…No." He muttered, turning away.

Mikan held his wrist up to her ear and listened quietly to Natsume when he had been recording his voice. "Um….There's something I have to tell you…Um…I'll be leaving Gakuen Alice soon….so…"

* * *

Thanks for reading! Please review!


	12. The Festival

Thank you so much for everyone who has reviewed and added my story to their favorites. Thank you. I'm sorry for not updating for a "long" time. I hope I haven't made any of you annoyed. I was in California this week and they have NO internet there. I know, its a lame excuse right? My cousin also deleted all of the chapters of this story I was going to update so I'm really slow, trying to rewrite it all. AHHH!!! Please read and review! I really like this chapter for some reason. The beginning, I didn't like that much....Why did I write it?! Oh well, here is the next chapter. ^_^

* * *

"_Natsume is leaving the academy today, Mikan."_

_Mikan looked sadly out the window, "Could…you let me see him off?"_

_Luna scoffed, "No way."_

_Mikan suddenly ran towards the door of the Dangerous Abilities Classroom. "Hey! Come back here!"_

_But she kept running towards Natsume's dorm where she thought that he might have been packing. After leaving the dark room that she had been in for three days now, the light from outside stung her eyes. She was finally able to escape, even if it was just for a little while. She opened the unlocked door to Natsume's room which was empty. She turned around to leave his room and continue searching when suddenly the door slammed right in front of her. She heard Luna lock the door from the outside, "I'm not letting you get out of there. Sit there and watch him leave from the window." _

_Mikan kicked the door as hard as she could, "J-Just let me out!" _

_She banged on the door but she knew that Luna had left. She ran over to the window. Natsume wasn't leaving yet…But he would soon. Suddenly Mikan stepped on something, she picked it up to see the kitty bracelet she had given Natsume, "Did…he leave this here for me?"_

_She wiped away her tears as she pressed the button of the bracelet. His voice filled the entire room, "…What…I'm trying to say….is….I'm still just…a kid…so….I don't really know what….love is._

_Mikan's face turned red. _

"…………………………_......................................................................................................................................"_

_For a long time it was silent before she shook the bracelet, "C'mon Natsume, say something…" _

"_But I think…I…I love you."_

_For a while, Mikan sat there dazed on the floor. She had always knew he did but…Suddenly, holding tight onto the bracelet, she ran towards the window. She opened the window as hard as she could and jumped out. She tried to hide her flushing face as she landed onto the roof of the academy. She started sliding down onto the roof when she managed to grab onto a large and tall tree branch. Below, she could see a lot of people following a boy walking towards a limo near the exit gate. _

"_N-NATSUME!" She screamed but he didn't seem to hear her._

_Natsume looked around through the crowd of students, "Mikan…really didn't come…" _

"_NATSUME!!!" Mikan cried again, trying to crawl along the tree branch to the thick branch but then she suddenly lost her grip and starting falling, "AAGGGHHHH!!!!"_

_Suddenly, she landed onto someone's lap. She looked up to see the face of her best friend, "H-Hotaru!" _

_Hotaru had brought her flying scooter up to save Mikan. Mikan hugged her friends arm as she slowly descended to the ground. Mikan watched as the limo slowly drove away. "N-NATSUME!!!" She cried, holding onto the bracelet. "C-Come back!" She began to run after the limo when a hand touched her shoulder from behind. _

"_N-Natsume!" Mikan ran and wrapped her arms around his waist. All the other students turned away from embarrassment. Hotaru just smiled. Natsume almost seemed like he was smiling, just for a second. "N-Natsume…I…" She blushed as she placed the bracelet into his hand. Suddenly she raised her own wrist with her doggy bracelet and pressed the button to record her own voice, "Natsume…"_

_Narumi appeared from behind, "You guys make it quick. Natsume has to leave soon…" He winked at Natsume._

_Mikan's face was beet red, "…I….I….I…I love you, my jerk!" She started squeezing Natsume who was clearly embarrassed but tried to act calm about it. _

"_I LOVE YOU!!!" She squeezed harder. _

"…_Okay…I love you too, my idiot. Now let go, that hurts." _

~**~

Mikan held his wrist up to her ear and listened quietly to Natsume when he had been recording his voice. _"Um….There's something I have to tell you…Um…I'll be leaving Gakuen Alice soon….so…."_

Mikan pulled her shirt sleeve up to reveal her bracelet that she could never take off. There was also a small button on it and doggy patterns on it. She had always had it every since that "fire." But when Natsume even turned to look at her, she pulled her shirt sleeve down. She had promised Ruka she would never show anyone the bracelet or press the button.

She continued listening to the bracelet, _"What…I'm trying to say….is….I'm still just…a kid…so….I don't really know what….love is."_

Mikan's eyes widened as she heard Natsume say 'L' word. Natsume NEVER talked about love. Heck, she didn't even know that he even knew what it was… She even laughed just a little bit when Natsume admitted himself as a little kid.

"…………………………_......................................................................................................................................"_

Mikan narrowed her eyes as the long silence in the recording bracelet carried on. But she waited until he said something..

"_But I think…I…I love you."_

Suddenly Mikan felt her skirt get wet. She touched her face. Why was she crying?

Natsume raised his eyebrows at her reaction but didn't say anything. He pulled his wrist away from her grasp.

Mikan shook her head slowly, "I…don't remember it at all."

Natsume suddenly bit his bracelet.

She raised her eyebrows, "What are you doing?"

The bracelet came off from his wrist. He took Mikan's palm and placed it in her palm. "When…you remember…or after I let you go, press that button and listen to what I have to say to YOU. But only listen to it when the time comes, okay?"

"O-Okay.."

Natsume turned towards her, "Remember our deal? We have only have a week left. If you don't remember, I'll break the marriage and working contract and you can go free to Ruka…

"….Why?" Mikan looked up at him.

"Because I want you to be happy." Natsume hesitated, "That's more important that what I want…"

Mikan fidgeted with her fingers. Wasn't he going to stop her? Didn't he not want her to be with Ruka?

Natsume stopped the car before Mikan could finish her sentence, "We're here at the shrine. Remember? That date you have with Ruka? Go and have fun at the spring festival…Here." Natsume tossed a pink cherry blossom patterned kimono in her direction. "Now go and don't turn back."

Without thinking, Mikan grabbed his shirt sleeve, "But…will…you come with me?" She stepped out of the car and looked at Natsume pleadingly.

"I will…but I'm going to go pick up Mitsuki since we're going to get married soon so…you go ahead and be with Ruka…"

Mikan watched him drive away. Was he angry at her? Why did it seem like he was giving up?

Mikan looked down at the kimono he had given her, "But…You didn't have to go and pick up Mitsuki." She muttered angrily, "You playboy…"

She looked up towards the bright blue sky, "I…want to get to you more though, Natsume…I want to remember my past…I…don't think I've realized it until now…but…I wonder what kind of feelings I have for you…"

~**~

Mikan tugged on her itchy kimono irritably. Natsume had bought her a kimono out of the blue. The heavy and large bow that wrapped around her waist made her look exceedingly fat. The neck of her kimono drooped down low and was really revealing. She had never wore a kimono before…at least she never wore one ever since the "fire."

Mikan also waited for Hotaru who she had invited.

Mikan sat there on a porch at the shrine where the festival was taking place. She watched as the pathway was lit up by paper lanterns and glowing dragonflies. The shrine was crowded and full. Game and food booths lined along the path. Mikan checked her watch and sighed, Ruka was really late…And where was Mitsuki? Suddenly a hand touched her on the shoulder. She turned around, "N-Natsume! You're….here."

Natsume shrugged. Behind him was Mitsuki, looking adorable in a midnight blue kimono. Mikan glared at Mitsuki, '_She's so pretty…'_

Natsume had on a black kimono with purple cherry blossoms trimming the sleeves. Mikan's face turned red just looking at him as she tried to smile at Mitsuki, "Hi Mitsuki."

"Hello!" Mitsuki placed her hand into Natsume's palm who took it, "What is this? A double date?"

Mikan didn't say anything and grimaced. _"You're the only one who thinks she's on a date but really isn't!"_

"M-Mikan!"

Mikan turned around to see Ruka standing behind a large tree, wearing an orange kimono. She smiled, "Yuki!"

Behind Ruka was Hotaru wearing a green kimono. Mikan ran over and gave Hotaru a big hug, "I missed you so much, Hotaru!"

Natsume looked away from Ruka, his expression was unreadable.

And then Ruka stared at Mitsuki who stared at him back, "B-Big brother?"

"M-Mitsuki?!"

Natsume and Mikan jaws dropped open, "BROTHER?!"

Ruka tried to smile, "I saw you in dad's pictures that he sent mom and I."

Mitsuki rubbed the back of her neck, "So you've been living in Japan, huh?"

"Yeah…"Mikan looked back and forth from Mitsuki and Ruka. BROTHERS AND SISTERS?! Mikan thought to herself for a moment. Ruka said that his mother divorced his father a long time ago and took his daughter with him while Ruka lived with his French mother.

Mitsuki then looked over at Mikan, "So you're going to be my sister-in-law?"

Before Mikan could open her mouth to answer, Mitsuki suddenly walked over to her and held onto Mikan's hands, "How about us sisters go um…hang out?"

Mikan couldn't believe it.

"Alone." Mitsuki mouthed to the others as she led Mikan away from the group.

"H-Hey!"

Then Mitsuki turned back at her and gave her a stern look, "There's someone that wants to see you…"

Mikan couldn't free herself from Mitsuki's grasp and found herself trailing behind Mitsuki as she led her towards the café.

~**~

Mikan stood outside the private room of the café nervously. Inside of the room were people who Mitsuki said were important to her. Who could they be? What did they want?

"Mikan…" Mitsuki popped her head out of the room and gestured Mikan to come in. Mikan nodded, took a deep breath and followed. It was totally safe to follow Mitsuki, right? Nothing wrong about that…But Mikan should have thought again.

Right in the middle of the room was a young boy about the age of ten with dark black hair. He turned around to reveal a very handsome but yet scary face, "Mikan…Its great to see you again."

Mikan kept her distance, "W-Who…are…?"

The boy chuckled, "You really forgot everything, didn't you?" And then suddenly the crazy little boy burst into hysterically laughing, "I cant believe you still managed to be his wife." Natsume. That's who he was talking about.

"Believe me. He's even made you think you're Mikan Sakura…I feel so sorry for you." The boy sat on the chair and then a person from the back came into view. It was a girl with strawberry blonde hair. The girl from Mikan's flashback at the cliff. When the girl raised her eyes to look at Mikan, she gasped. But for some reason, this time, her eyes weren't the guilty type like when she tried to save Mikan from falling, her eyes were full of hate and envy. "Master…" She looked over to the little boy, "You…You….promised me you wouldn't need her anymore…You promised you would only need me!" She turned and glared at Mikan, "But you and your mother always…always…get in the way!"

"Enough, Luna." The boy called out to her, "Now, use your alice on her. See if she really is the one we're looking for.""Y-Yes…" She nodded and then walked over and touched Mikan's forehead but then nothing happened.

The boy's eyes widened, "It really is her! The nullification!

People had no idea what these people were talking about.

And so the five of them enjoyed the festival all except for the two people, Natsume and Mikan. At first there was five. Mitsuki ran off crying when Natsume refused to buy her cotton candy. So there was four. Then Ruka left the group to go stand up for the pigs that were being slaughtered for food. So there was three. For some reason, Hotaru decided to go help Ruka defend his piggies. And so two were left: …Mikan Ishikawa and Natsume Hyuga.

They were having an awfully awkward situation where neither of them talked to each other. Mikan decided to lighten up the mood by suggesting they enter one of the game booths.

"Oh wow! Can we try scooping up fish?! PLEASE." Mikan's eyes sparkled with excitement as she squeezed past all the people and arrived at the fishing booth. The game was to use a special net that was made of paper. The paper was torn every time it touched water so the game required great skill and carefulness. The idea was to quickly use the net to catch a gold fish from a small plastic pool and into a bowl.

Natsume sighed, "Here." He paid for one turn as he crouched down to see Mikan catch a fish.

Mikan licked her lips and stared at one of the fattest goldfishes. She held a net in one hand and a bowl in the other.

She violently swung the net into the water where the fish was but the paper tore immediately.

"Natsume! Just one more time! Can I have another turn?"

Natsume handed more money, "Whatever…""Uh…Natsume…One more time." "Fine."

Three seconds later..

"Um…Natsume, just one more time."

Four seconds later…

"..One more time."

Two seconds later…

"ONE more time."

Five seconds later…

"ONE MORE TIME."

Four seconds later…

"ONE MORE TIME!!!!!!!"

Natsume smacked Mikan on the head, "Idiot! Stop losing! Just give up. You just naturally suck at things. Look! Now I only have a little bit of cash left before I have to use my credit card!"

Tears started to well up in Mikan's eyes, "J-Just one last time!"

Natsume rolled his eyes as he took a net and bowl for her. "Here. You have to scoop up the fish before the net gets wet. Use the metal frame of the net and try to push a gold fish into your bowl, very carefully and quickly. Make sure you have perfect aim for the fish and make sure that fish is near the surface of the water so that you can use the metal frame to bring it out of the water and into your bowl."

Mikan was really surprised to see Natsume talking so much more than he usually did. She quickly turned to focus her eyes on her bowl and her net.

Mikan nodded, "O-Okay…"

Her eyes caught a fish that was….not moving. After giving a ferocious "ROAR!!", she whipped her net at the fish and threw it into midair where Natsume ran after with the bowl in which the fish plopped in. She had did just what Natsume told her and managed to get the smallest fish, "OH MY GOD! A FISH! A FISH! I DID IT!!!"

Natsume sighed and patted her on the head, "There. You got yourself a fish…" Natsume's voice faded as he took a closer look at the fish in the bowl, "Uh…why is it upside down?"

Mikan gasped and looked closer, the fish was upside down and its belly was nearly half way out of the water. It's body floated and starting drifing, "It's not moving!" Suddenly Mikan felt little tears form in her eyes, "I-I-Is it….dead?!"

Natsume eyes widened as he poked the gold fish, "…Maybe he's sleeping…"

"Y-Yeah." Mikan nodded, unsure.

Natsume shrugged and placed the 'floating' fish into a plastic bag full of water as the two walked through the festival.

~**~

"What is this place?" Natsume asked ducking under to get into a tent. The tent was full of people, sitting in front of a dirty table filled with disgusting foods. Pig skin, chicken intestines, liver… Natsume mentally shuddered.

"The best food booth in the whole wide world! I eat this kind of food all the time."

Natsume looked around, bugs and flies flew everywhere and the tent stank horribly. Mikan and Natsume took a seat. Natsume took a pack of tissues out of his pocket and placed a tissue on his and Mikan's chair before sitting down, just to make sure there weren't any germs… He swore he saw some sort of red and yellowy liquid splattered on Mikan's chair.

"Oh thanks for the napkin!" Mikan grinned as she snatched the red and yellowy stained tissue and wiped her mouth. Natsume's eyebrow twitched but he didn't say anything.

"One bowl of pig intestines please!"

Mikan looked over at Natsume excitedly, "They have the best chicken legs here!"

Natsume didn't say anything, he just stared in horror. Mikan popped some pork liver into Natsume's mouth, "Good isn't it?!"

At first, Natsume felt like throwing up but he didn't want to do that in front of Mikan so he chewed slowly. "…Its…okay."

Mikan smiled, "Can we have some pork tendon?" She called to the chef.

After stuffing themselves with all kinds of strange foods, Natsume had a sudden urge to use the bathroom.

Mikan laughed, "Stomach ache? Man, you're even wimpier than I thought."

Natsume clutched his stomach painfully as they both made their way through the streets, trying to find a local washroom.

Once they arrived at a local washroom, the men's washroom was shut down because all the toilets were out of order.

Natsume fell onto his knees, "Damn it! Isn't there a single washroom?"

Mikan giggled, "There's always the FEMALE'S washroom."

Natsume glanced over at the female section, "…Okay."

Mikan first came in to check for Natsume that there were no girls in the washroom before gesturing him to come in. Natsume ran full speed into the washroom but stopped when the washroom was full of girls. He had been caught. "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HEY! IT'S NATSUME HYUGA!!!!"

Natsume ignored them and ran into on the bathroom stalls.

~**~

Soon the two of them met up with the rest of the group and they continued walking through the festival. Nearby was a mini theatre that featured one of the movies that Natsume was the lead role in. There was a huge line outside the mini theature. Natsume hid his face to try to avoid any crazy fan girls. He also tried to avoid having Mikan watch a movie he was in. It was be too embarrassing. But luck wasn't on his side..

"Hey! Natsume! Aren't you in that movie over there?!" Mikan cried, pointing to a enormous poster of him in a gangster tuxedo, black mask, and holding a gun, "Wow! I want to see that movie!!! Lets go, you guys!"

There was no way getting out Mikan's pleads and Natsume was forced to watch his own movie.

Beside the movie theatre was a store where you could buy movies. The group decided to go there first and then see Natsume's movie. Mikan accidentally walked into the "inappropriate adult movies section" where there were pictures of naked girls on the cover. Before Mikan could scream, "WHAT IS THAT?!" Natsume had come over to her aid and pushed her out of the aisle. "Mikan, little girls aren't supposed to be in here." Natsume told her but then he started searching through the movies himself.

"Natsume! Then why are you looking at the movies, you pervert?!" (Note : Actually, Mikan is older than Natsume.)

Natsume suddenly came up with an idea to prevent Mikan from seeing his movie, "Oh Mikan. Did I tell you that the movie I'm in Rated R? And that I do a lot of naughty stuff in there…" He lied, keeping a straight face.

"W-What?!" Mikan nearly screamed, "You were in love in the story?! With who?!"

"Mitsuki Konan. She was in the movie with me as my girlfriend. And we sure did a lot of disgusting stuff…" Natsume lied again. (Note : The truth is, is that Natsume's movie was rated 14 and older and that Mitsuki Konan was not in the movie at all. She's a model! And Natsume doesn't take place in those kind of movies…But Mikan believes him anyway.)

"T-That makes me want to see the movie even more!" Mikan folded her arms over her chest, "I want to see what kind of career you have!"Natsume sighed, "Damn it."

~**~

Mikan watched the big screen as the movie was starting. The first face that appeared on the screen was a beautiful girl's smiling face, "Hello everyone!" She giggled with a low and raspy weird voice, "I'm Kaoru and I'm the gangster's daughter!" The girl had purplish black hair and red crimson eyes. Mikan stared at the girl's face, "S-She's so pretty! Who is that, Natsume?"

Natsume said nothing and was covering his face in embarrassment.

Half an hour passed by and Mikan saw that it was weird that Natsume still hadn't appeared. The main character was Natsume right? So why was this pretty Kaoru girl in almost ever scene, shooting and killing people?

Suddenly Mikan watched as Ruka beside her start crying when Kaoru was shot and killed. He wasn't the only one in the theatre crying. Mi

"N-Natsume! That's so sad!" Mitsuki cried, sobbing into Natsume's shoulder.

Mikan's head twitched towards Natsume, "How dare you lean on Natsume's shoulder!" Mikan muttered angrily. She watched as a small smirk formed on Natsume's lips. Mikan scowled angrily as she understood what this was…This was WAR! She used her hand and pulled Ruka's head onto her lap, "Ruka. Its okay, you don't have to cry…I'm here for you." She smiled, "You can cry on my lap if you want to."

(Note : Mikan didn't realize that she was USING Ruka in her little war and had no real intention of doing that.)

Mikan gave an evil grin as she looked over at Natsume's reaction. _'Beat that, Natsume!'_

Natsume clenched his fist and wrapped his fingers around Mitsuki's face, "M-Mitsuki! I'm so glad you're here for me when I'm feeling so sad from this movie!" Natsume's face was inches away from Mitsuki's face who was blushing madly, "N-Natsume…" Being a very talented actor, Natsume succeeded in making Mitsuki believe he was actually very sad from the movie.

Mikan bit her lip so hard that it almost bled. She suddenly slapped Ruka's head to make him get off her lap and then hugged his arm, "R-Ruka…I…I…need you! This movie is making me cry so much! Will you hold me, Ruka?!" Unlike Natsume, she was a lousy actor. But Ruka believed her anyway and blushed furiously as he held her closer.

The war between the two went back and forth with Hotaru sitting in between the two couples, sighing and shaking her head. She took a bite from the crab in her hands, "What a bunch of idiots…" She looked behind to look at random guy sitting alone in the movie theatre wearing a T-Shirt with the words, 'I LOVE MITSUKI KONAN!' He was also annoyed by the commotion, "Hey you. I guess you're just like me…See? We aren't acting like idiots because we don't have the person we love like us back…"

Beside Hotaru was Mikan who was about to throw her popcorn at Mitsuki's face when she decided to cross the borders that nobody had crossed before. She kissed Ruka. Not on the lips, but just a little peck on his cheek. Ruka's instantly passed out from over happiness.

Hotaru knelt down beside him with a very blank expression on her face, "Idiot. Moron." Hotaru placed a hand on his forehead, "Look at you, you're being used in their idiotic love game…You try too hard…Why do you have to…love her so much…" She whispered to him and thought that he wouldn't be listening but he did hear. Every single word.

Meanwhile, Natsume was so angry at Mikan's sudden move that he didn't know what to do except glare at her. He looked at Mitsuki's face. Should he make THE forbidden move? Just when he was going to lean down to Mitsuki's face with his lips a few inches from her's, suddenly a tray of popcorn and a can of Coke hit him in the face. The Coke and popcorn spilled all over Natsume. He immediately turned his head in Mikan's direction who was giving him an evil look.

Natsume sighed. _What kind of advice am I following?! What?! Make Mikan jealous and then get jealous? Why was I so stupid?!_

Natsume gave her an apologetic look but she didn't seem to buy it and turned away.

Natsume turned to leave the theatre to go change into his normal clothing instead of the sticky and stained kimono he was wearing. Mikan stood up and followed him, leaving Ruka, Hotaru, and Mitsuki behind.

Outside it was raining hard and Natsume turned around to see Mikan following him behind. The booths were closing up from the rain and the festival would have to end soon.

Mikan was red faced, "I…Sorry for the popcorn and coke…" She bowed in apology, "S-Sorry."

Mikan then noticed that she and Natsume were getting soaking wet.

"Lets go find somewhere…" Natsume took Mikan's hand and lead her somewhere that neither of them knew where.

"Aww…My hair is going to get messed up…" Mikan whined, standing and trying to fix her hair.

Natsume used his hand and put it her face. He reached over at the hair tie that was holding her hair up in a pig tail and tugged on it, making her hair fall.

"H-Hey!" Mikan blushed at the sudden contact and tried to brush her hair with her fingers…

"Leave your hair down…" Natsume leaned closer to Mikan's face, "It looks better that way…"

"B-But you always call me ugly! I-It wouldn't change much if I let it down anyway!" Mikan tried to find the right words, embarrassed.

"…Well, I really think…you look…."

"What?! Say it!" Mikan snapped. She expected him to say how she was ugly and hideous but…

"You don't really look that bad…You look a little good. Just a little…" Suddenly Natsume lifted Mikan's chin up and pressed his lips against her forehead, "So shut up and stop whining." Right after he said that he twirled around to start running away when Mikan quickly reached out to hold him back, "H-Hey…Wait!"

For some strange reason, Mikan's temperature went up instantly. Her heart was beating faster and she found herself backing away and nearly falling backwards. Mikan didn't know what to do and started panicking, "W-Wha-?!" She touched her forehead, "Why…"

Her heart was racing and her face was red. "D-Don't tell me to shut up! Y-You pervert!"

Natsume didn't say anything except turn his back away from her.

Mikan's eyes then moved on to her clothes. The fabric was thin and the water from the rain was soaking into her clothes, revealing… "A-Ah!" She covered her chest with her arms, "D-Don't look!"

"Huh?" Natsume looked over at her, "Oh…" He took off his kimono (he had a shirt and pants underneath) and handed it over to Mikan.

It took a while before she realized what he was doing. Mikan could do nothing but take kimono from him to wrap it around herself. But Mikan was surprised. Wouldn't' it be more like Natsume if he would be a pervert and just stare? Mikan touched her forehead. It was warm where he had…Mikan covered her flaming cheeks.

"Natsume…"

"What?" He looked over at her.

"I guess you're not a bad person…" Mikan smiled shyly and brought the kimono up to her face, "Um…Could I…C-Can I keep this kimono?"

Natsume took his hand out of his pants and scooted a little closer to her. Mikan also scooted a little closer to him without even realizing it. He reached down and took her hand as he lead her back to the theatre, "…Yeah."

* * *

Next chapter is my favorite!

I'm going to have to go back to school soon! I'm going into 8th grade!!! NOOO!!!!

Please read and review! I hope you guys all had a kick-ass summer! _


	13. Fear Of Rejection Flu

Hi! Thank you for your reviews. I must admit…I am feeling insecure about my fanfic. Thank you "Zzz" for telling me that. I have to confess that I once DID write a few reviews for my fanfics. It wasn't for this one but it was for one of my other fanfics. But after a week or something, I deleted it all. I felt really guilty! I'm sorry! I'm so selfish! I know, this story gets A LOT of anonymous reviews right? My cousin did use my account to give this story a review. And I think that the anonymous reviews are from my supporting friends and families. I'm sorry! I know, its bad isn't it for even giving myself reviews even though it was once! Now, I'll just try to keep improving. ^_^ Thank you everyone who has reviewed. Anyway, here is the next chapter. Since I have extra time, I'll try to update as soon as possible! And seriously, I am totally not in the mood for school!

* * *

"H-Hotaru!!!"

Hotaru sighed as she used her hand to feel her best friend's forehead, "What's wrong?"

Mikan's face was flushed and completely red. Her heart was beating extremely fast and she was sweating madly, "Hotaru…I think…I think I'm sick." She wiped her forehead with the back of her head as she climbed under Hotaru's bed sheets.

Hotaru took a wet towel and placed it onto Mikan's forehead which was burning hot. "Do you think you have a fever?"

"…No…I feel weird…after…" Mikan covered her face with the bed sheets, "…I meet Natsume…"

Hotaru tilted her head and tried to hide her smile, "Tell me what you are feeling right now…"

"Um well…I act all weird and stuff…" Mikan brought Natsume's popcorn and coke-scented kimono up to her face. "And then my temperature suddenly rises like crazy and I can't talk with him…Maybe I have a fever…?"

Hotaru sighed, "No…That's not it…"

"I-I…I'm sick, aren't I?"

She smiled, "No. You're not sick at all…Mikan, you're just…"

"BRRRIIINNNGGGG!!! BRRRIIINNNGG!!!"

Hotaru made an irritated whine and searched her pockets for her cell phone but didn't bother picking it up when she found it. Hotaru felt Mikan's forehead, "…I have to go somewhere right now….We'll talk about this sometime…"

"B-But…what is my…behavior called? What is the reason?" Mikan asked nervously, her hand on her cheeks.

"I don't know." Hotaru lied, swinging her backpack onto her shoulder, "Just go and find out herself."

~**~

Mikan rubbed the bandage on her head as she walked into the clothing store, "Hello everyone…" She muttered tiredly. The first person to see her was Tsubasa who came over and asked her what was wrong and what happened to her but Mikan just shook her head and told him that it was nothing. Mikan's face now looked purplish red as if she had to run to the toilet instead of having a fever.

Mikan watched as Natsume walked out from behind the store.

Natsume started approaching her slowly, "Hey."

Mikan clutched her backpack and ran out of the store and into the busy market. She didn't know where to run but being in the same room as HIM was making her dizzy.

But he was following her and then his hand caught on to her wrist, "I'll take you to hospital." He felt her forehead, "You seem to have a fever." He felt her forehead, "I'll take you to hospital right now." He grabbed on her wrist and dragged her behind.

"Hey!" Mikan retorted, trying to free Natsume's fingers. Why didn't Natsume understand that he was only make her feel even more worse and rising her temperature even more?

Against her will, she was brought to the clinic.

"Mikan Ishikawa." A nurse came walking in the waiting room and motioned her to come into the clinic to get checked up. "Please come with me."

With just one glance at Mikan, the nurse gestured Natsume not to come in, "Sorry. But ladies only."

Mikan followed the nurse to meet the doctor while Natsume sat in the waiting area, wondering what in the world was wrong with Mikan.

The doctor was very beautiful and she had dark brown hair that stuck out on all ends but she was still very pretty, "So, Mikan Ishikawa. Tell us, what's wrong?"

Mikan touched her own forehead, "I…um…I don't really know."

The doctor came over to her with a thermometer and placed it into the side of her mouth, "Whoa! You're burning hot! A fever?"

"I…don't know."

"Any chills through the body? Do you shiver? Any sweating? Muscle pains? Headache? Nervousness? Confusion?"

"Um….I just get really hot. My face gets red. I don't shiver but only when I see him suddenly an-"

The doctor stood up and raised an eyebrow, "You mean, a boy caused your sickness?"

Mikan nodded, "Y-Yes." She put her hand on her cheek, "Um…I get really nervous and start to panic. I have chest pain and get really dizzy."

"A-ha!" The nurse walked over to her cabinet and took out a bottle with clear pink liquid, "You are sick!"

"...W-With what?"

"A very common illness in Japan…All you need is this potion!" The doctor placed the potion bottle in Mikan's hands, "Its called the Fear Of Rejection Flu. It will go away once you put three tablespoons of this potion into whatever the boy is drinking."

"You mean, in his drink? Not mine?" Mikan tilted her head curiously. What did this have to do with anything?

"This potion will make him ease your worry and cure your sickness!" The doctor nodded to herself, "Yes! This is exactly what you need!"

"But I'm not the one that's sick. He is." Mikan pointed out, thinking that the doctor didn't understand her situation.

"No! No! It will stop him from making you sick!"

"Oh...Um...T-Thank you…" Mikan looked closely at the bubbling pink medicine. She still didn't know what in the world this was for and what it had to do with anything but Mikan paid for it and took it home with her, hiding it into her jacket pocket. When she met up with Natsume again in the waiting room, she started suffering from her sickness symptoms again.

"N-N-Natsume…Lets…." Mikan tried to think of an idea to pull off this medicine on him. She had to put it into his drink, huh?

Natsume felt her forehead, "So are you sick?"

"N-Not really." Mikan shook her head, "Um…lets go to a café! Yeah. Lets go!"

"A café?" Natsume rubbed the back of his neck, "…Like on a date?"

Mikan frowned and bit her lip , "W-What?! Don't be silly!" Mikan grabbed Natsume's jacket sleeve and pulled her behind him, "Lets order something to drink, okay?"

~**~

Mikan watched as the waiter at the café came closer, "What would you like today?"

Mikan looked through the menu, "Um…a carrot cake, a chocolate chip cookie, a blueberry muffin, and an orange juice please." She looked over at Natsume, "What do you want?"

"…Cheese cake."

"Um…What about to drink, Natsume?"

"Nah. I don't want to drink anything." Natsume looked up at the waiter, "Yeah. That's it."

Mikan started to fidget nervously, "Um…Natsume, you should at least drink something." She insisted, almost pleading.

"No thanks."

"I-I heard they have really good coffee here. You should try it!"

"I don't want anything to drink…" Natsume looked at Mikan suspiciously, "Are you going to put a drug into my drink or something?"

Mikan froze stiff. "O-Of course not!" She laughed nervously, "How silly!" "Its okay! I'll just let him drink from my orange juice!"

"Here is your food…" The waiter came back what seemed to only be a few seconds with the foods and a drink.

Mikan thought for a moment. How would she drug the orange juice without making him see it? Mikan suddenly came up with an idea. She pretended to look at the ceiling and use her hand to try and push her napkin onto the ground, trying to make it look accidental. She expected Natsume to be a gentlemen and lean down to pick it up for her. But he didn't. She waited for a little bit by making distracting noises with her throat, "Why look at that, Natsume! I just dropped my napkin! Hmm…maybe I should pick it up?" Mikan asked eagerly, trying to have him crouch down under the table.

"Oh. Okay, hurry and pick it up then."

Mikan glared at him angrily but tried to hide it, "Oh! But Natsume! My back hurts! Hmmm…!" She peered at him, "Wouldn't it be great if someone would lean down and pick it up for me? Hmmm…? Wouldn't they be such a gentlemen?"

Natsume rolled his eyes, "Just shut up and pick it up." It looked like Natsume Hyuga had no intention of picking it up whatsoever.

Mikan clenched her fists. "He is SO not a gentlemen!" Not caring anymore and very irritated, Mikan boldly took out the potion bottle and dumped the entire thing into the orange juice. She forgot that the doctor had told her to put only three tablespoons.

"…What are you doing?" Natsume rested his cheek in his palm.

"Uh…sweetener! Yeah, it's a special type of sweetener to make things…more sweet!" Mikan started sweating nervously, "Natsume, would you like to try?"

"No."

"C'mon! Just a little bit! I bet it tastes good!" Mikan suggested, pushing the orange juice in his direction.

"I don't want any…" Natsume raised his eyebrows suspiciously, "How about you try some first?"

Mikan decided to play dumb, "H-Huh? What do you mean?"

"When you try it, then I'll drink it."

Mikan stared at the orange juice. What would happen if she drank it? Mikan took a deep breath. Maybe a little sip wouldn't hurt right? Mikan tried to look casual as possible, "Fine then. I will." She fumbled with the glass and poured it slowly down into her throat. But amazingly, it tasted so good. It was best drink she had ever drank. She couldn't control herself from drinking the entire thing. When she finished, she put the glass down. "See? Nothing happ-"

Natsume watched as Mikan's face suddenly turned deep red like a tomato. He watched as drool dripped down on the side of her mouth and her eyes droop. For some strange reason in Mikan's eyes, Natsume was the most beautiful person in the world.

She saw him mouth the world, "Idiot." But she thought that the way he played with the fork on his table was so cute and the way that his eyebrows raised and the way that he opened his beautiful mouth to yawn and…(Note : Okay, I should stop now.)

"Mikan. You look a little drunk…"

"N-NATSUME!!!!" Mikan jumped out of her chair and leaped across the table to wrap her hands around his neck, "I…I have to tell you something…"

"What?" Natsume asked, staring at her as if she was the most dumbest person in the world.

"I-I…I love you." Mikan muttered, smiling innocently.

"…Okay…" Natsume muttered, without really listening to what she said. A few seconds later he realized what she said and almost nearly gasped. But of course he didn't because if he did, he wouldn't be Natsume. "What…?"

"Hic!"

Natsume said nothing. He just turned and continued eating his cheese cake. "Natsume!" Mikan bit her trembling lip, "B-But…! I…Natsume…! Y-You don't...?!"

"…" Natsume placed his palm on his forehead embarrassedly, "..Its not that…I don't…I mean…"

"B-But Natsume!!!" Mikan's tears were forming, "…I LOVE YOU! YOU DORK!!!!" Mikan punched Natsume across the face so hard that he was flung across the café.

The manager ran over to the painting on the wall that had fallen from Natsume's collision, "M-My painting!|

"NATSUME!!! I LOVE YOU!!!" Mikan had ran across the café and shook his neck violently as she hugged him, knocking over the plates and food on the tables in her way off. The whole café turned their heads to stare at the crazy couple. Meanwhile, Natsume was overwhelmed by emotions. He was scared. Very scared. He was confused of what was happening. Was that a love potion? Had Mikan tried to make Natsume go crazy with love on her? Natsume didn't know what to do. He would at least enjoy the moment as it lasted. But then the side affects of the potion were kicking in. Since Mikan had drank about thirty times more than she was supposed to, she could no longer control herself. In other words, she was drunk.

"…Mikan?" Natsume started panicking when Mikan rested her head on his shoulder, "I love you, Natsume…" She was now putting her knees on the table and leaned down to wrap her arms around his head, "You're my little Natsume! Hee hee…" Mikan's face turned red and she started to hiccup, "…Hic…"

"What are you doing?"

Mikan looked at him, "Hmmmm! I wonder…"

"Mikan…lets get you home…"

"NO!" Mikan slapped Natsume, "Lets go get some beer…." She got of the table, stumbling and swaying. She hooked her arm around Natsume's neck and led him out of the café."Mikan, are you drunk?"

"NO!" Mikan pointed at his face, "….Now, Natsume…Lets go get some beer!"

"Beer!"

"….Why?" Natsume tried to pull her face away, "…I don't want to."

Two minutes later…

"MORE BEER!" Mikan cried, reaching out for the beer bottle in Natsume's hands who was refusing to hand it over.

Natsume and Mikan were sitting in a park. Beer bottles surrounded them and they were both laughing for no reason.

"Natsume…I love you…" Mikan took his face in her hands and pulled it towards her when he suddenly dodged her.

Mikan pouted, "Why?! Don't you love me too?"

He leaned against the porch, "Mikan….you're acting weird. The real Mikan wouldn't act like this…" Natsume whispered, referring to her usual non-drunk and non-fangirl side.

"What? Mikan Sakura? Why do you always like her so much."

"No. I mean…"

"But…" Suddenly Mikan began to cry, "I am…Mikan Sakura, Natsume!"Natsume turned his head to look at her, "Mikan…You don't have to pretend…Its oka-"

"BUT I AM!" Mikan cried, "I am! I'm here!" She turned his head to look at her, "L-Look at me! I am here! I really am!"

"Mikan…" Natsume sighed. Drunk Mikan was sure saying a lot of weird things, "Okay."

"No! Really!" Mikan pointed to herself and she placed her hand over her chest, "I swear, Natsume! I am Mikan Sakura!"

Natsume decided to ignore her and kept drinking the beer, "Okay, Mikan…"

"No! You don't believe me!" Mikan screamed standing up, "I'm not Mikan Ishikawa! !!!" Mikan cried, "Natsume, its me!"

"That's enough, Mikan." Natsume suddenly knocked Mikan out with his fist, "You shouldn't be drinking when you have a fever…" (Note : Natsume, You were the one who took her drinking!) He carried her home, thinking about what she had said. Mikan snuggled closer to him, "…Natsume…I love you."

~**~

It had been the day after Mikan had went to the clinic and Mikan forgot all what had happened the previous day. She had woken up to see herself in Ruka's house. It was then that Ruka starting planning about their "wedding." But for some reason, Mikan found herself not feeling as excited as she thought she was.

"Mikan, I was going to talk to you about it at the festival but I didn't see you…" Ruka turned to smile at her while drying the dishes in the kitchen, "So…where should the wedding be? I have some family members in France, Korea, and some are in Tok-"

"Ruka…" Mikan bit her lip. How was she going to say this? Why was she treating Ruka this way when he was so kind to her?

"What is it?" Ruka smiled nervously, hearing the hesitation in Mikan's voice.

"M-Maybe…Maybe we should call the wedding off for a while." Mikan rubbed the back of her neck, "I mean, wouldn't the public think its weird for suddenly to have Natsume and I break up and then suddenly get married to other people? Don't you think its weird? W-What would they think…?"

"Is it that you don't want to get married?"

Mikan looked up, "I…I'm…" Then she just laughed, "What am I saying? I sound so unsure. Of course, I…Lets get married as soon as possible. H-How about…um….um…" Mikan bit her lip. Crying would hurt Ruka. But a fake smile would no one but herself. Mikan decided to smile, "How about Tokyo? We could invite all your friends from your old school."

Ruka then remembered his friends from his old school. Gakuen Alice. All his friends : Inchou, Sumire, Koko, Anna, and everyone…What would they think? They would "know." But Mikan needed to know. If they were to get married, he would someday have to tell her. But then what would she think?

"Hey, Yuki?"

"O-Oh, yeah?"

"Um…how are we going to get more money for the wedding?" Mikan asked, trying to sound more interested in the wedding.

"I…was thinking maybe we could borrow some money from my family members in France…and maybe I could ask money from my mother."

Then Mikan suddenly thought about it. "Yuki, do you think that maybe I have a mother out there? Maybe she's alive?"

"W-Well…I-I don't know." Ruka shrugged quickly, "B-But if you did have a mother, we could be able to get some more money…"An idea suddenly struck Mikan, "How about…I get a mother?"

Ruka raised a eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"A-Adoption! Who wouldn't want to adopt the wife of Natsume Hyuga?"

The wife of Natsume Hyuga. Mikan giggled at the sound of that. But Ruka didn't seem to like it.

"But Mika-"

"Nope! I've decided! I want to have a family too!"

"But don't you think that you should think of this more?"

"No! Actually, right now…I think I'll be heading to the orphanage now!"

"H-Hey! Wait!"

~**~

Mikan had no idea how adoption worked. How would an orphanage accept her? A girl who could live out on her own with the famous Natsume Hyuga by her side? When she walked into the dusty and old looking orphanage, all the eyes in the main office turned towards her with gapping mouths.

"Is that?"

"Oh my god! Its Mikan Ishikawa!"

"Isn't that Natsume's wife?!" A crowd of people suddenly walked up to her and stared her in the face. Mikan blushed. Natsume's wife. Right now, she was his wife. Not forever. But now she was. It was strange that people in the streets hadn't noticed her.

She smiled shyly at the people in front of her and walked over to the woman behind the counter.

"H-Hello. My name is Mikan Ishikawa."

The woman nodded, "Are you looking for a child to adopt?"

"N-No." Mikan shook her head embarrassedly. She leaned towards the counter and whispered under her breath, "A-Actually, I'm looking for someone to um…adopt ME."

The woman looked startled but then nodded. "I-I'll see what I can do." She left Mikan to wait for what seemed to be five minutes before coming back, holding a pile of documents. "Please sign this and come here please."

Mikan juggled with the pile of papers she was given and scribbled her signatures on them while following the woman. She arrived at a large room with many children about the age of five through ten sitting on stools. She grabbed the empty stool closest to her and sat awkwardly, waiting for what she thought would be the people who wanted to adopt her.

Suddenly the door opened and in walked a short man with short and dark black hair. No, a child. A group of what looked like body guards followed closely behind him. A beautiful and tall women who was probably thirty-four years old walked in last. She had strawberry blond hair and had on red strawberry lipstick. She looked familiar. So did the child. But Mikan forgot who they were. She just smiled at the people who were probably going to adopt her. The child looked at the woman behind him, "Luna…" He whispered.

Luna…Where had Mikan heard that from?

"Luna…" He repeated again, "See if any of this children have Alices."

Alices? Mikan almost said aloud. Didn't Natsume once say that? An alice? Oh, it was one of those weird magical powers. Mikan had laughed when he said that. She didn't expect someone to say it in such a serious way.

The tall woman scanned her eyes across the room until her eyes lay directly at Mikan. Straight at Mikan. She suddenly dropped the purse she was holding, "….I-Its her…"

The woman raised a finger to point directly at Mikan, "I-Its her…" The child began to notice Luna and turned around to stare at Mikan when he also suddenly widened his eyes, "M-Mikan…?"Mikan giggled. Were these people her crazy fans? She had never met anyone who were so…surprised when seeing her.

The dark haired child looked over to one of his "bodyguards"

"Use your lightning Alice on her." He demanded, now smiling at Mikan with such a strange expression. A happy and an angry expression. It was scary.

Suddenly Mikan felt something hit her with a great force. It was weird because nothing had hit her. It was just something invisible that had probably bounced off from her…She couldn't explain it but she had felt something unnatural.

"N-Nullification…" Luna whispered, her eyes wide with worry, "So you are with that Natsume and Ruka…It was you…"

Mikan didn't understand her situation. When the group of strangers suddenly starting approaching her, she backed away slowly against the wall. She looked around, helplessly at the children in the room who didn't seem to understand that she was scared.

"Who are you?" Mikan called out.

The woman known as Luna suddenly stopped walking towards her, "I…I thought I had killed you.. I'm so sorr-"

"Luna!" The short man called out, "Its her. Lets…" He then gave Mikan a frightening and unreadable grin, "Hello Mikan. My name is Kuonji. How about you join our…family?" He suddenly said. Mikan hadn't expected it.

"W-What?" Mikan blurted. After giving her an awkward situation by staring at her to death and saying stuff she didn't understand, they wanted to adopt her? But then Mikan suddenly felt hope. These people were like people who she had known in the past. They were people who might make her remember. Maybe she would find out for sure if she was Mikan Sakura or not. It was the closest thing for her to be able to remember.

Mikan smiled nervously, "U-Um…sure?"

* * *

Dum Dum Dum Dum!!! Cliff hanger! There is actually no reason why I made Luna in her original form as a 34 year old. Lets see....my story takes place in a five year skip from the original Gakuen Alice so everyone is 5 years older. Since Luna was in the form of an 11 year old while the age of 29, since she's older in my story for some reason, she's 34 years old. Ruka, Natsume, Mikan, and Hotaru are all 16 years old. I know that 16 is young to get married and everything but I didn't wan to make them older. Tsubasa is 21 years old and Misaki....I'll be introducing her soon... I forgot the fact that Mikan STILL has her Alice so I'll be writing about Alices soon.

I had fun writing this chapter for some reason. I like writing chapters that make me feel all excited. I liked this chapter. But I think I liked the last one more. I like writing cliff hangers. Please review!!! Good luck to everyone who is going back to school! _ I'll try to update tomorrow or the day afterwards. Oh and could someone PLEASE tell me what C2 is in fanfiction? I was looking around at my fanfiction account yesterday and I was totally wondering what it meant. And could someone also tell me exactly what CANON is in fan fiction? I don't really understand it…If you could then thanks a ton!


	14. Mitsuki and Mikan's Past

Sorry for not updating!! I just finished my first week of school! It was the most boring experience ever!!! In writing, we were talking about character developments so I looked at this story to look more closely at the characters. I like the way I developed Ruka, Natsume, and Mikan's personality. But I really think that Mitsuki has really no interesting personality at all! She is just a weird girl who loves Natsume. So I wanted to give her more realistic personality by writing this chapter! Its mostly about Mitsuki so I didn't really like it but its important in the story! This is the time of the story when you guys will slowly understand how Mikan REALLY lost her memories and stuff that happened in the past. Please review!! Thanks!

_

* * *

"Mitsuki…" "Yes, Principal Kuonji?" Mitsuki walked up to her principal and sat at his leg._

_"Do you like Natsume Hyuga?" _

_Mitsuki nodded, "Y-Yes…" _

_"I encourage it."_

_"R-Really?" Mitsuki's smile then faded, "But I heard that he likes Mikan…" _

_"No. You are much prettier than she is." Principal Kuonji told her, patting her on the head. "It would make me happy if you would get married to him someday. You see, Mikan Sakura has a great use to me. I need her. I cant have her having hopes of running off with that Natsume Hyuga to live in the normal world. So if you were to…""I understand." Mitsuki grinned, "Since Natsume has lost his Alice and is living back in Japan…Does that mean, I'm following him?"_

_"Yes. Good girl, Mitsuki Konan." _

_~**~_

_Mikan was locked in the "room" by Principal Kuonji again. She took out the phone that Hotaru had lent her yesterday. Hotaru had invented it specially so it wouldn't be found out about. Mikan would be able to contact Natsume from outside Gakuen Alice._

_"N-Natsume!" Mikan spoke into the phone._

_"…Mikan, meet me at Central town entrance tomorrow. I'm sneaking in Gakuen Alice. Meet me there okay?""Y-Yes…I'll be wearing that dress you sent me….And Nat-"_

_Mikan then heard footsteps entering the classroom. She whispered "good-bye" to Natsume and then tucked the phone in her pocket. Mitsuki Konan, Persona's new "favorite" walked into the room. Mikan had heard that Mitsuki's Alice was very rare but she didn't know what it was. Mitsuki leaned on the side of the door, "Sorry but I misheard. Meet Natsume at Central Town wearing that dress he bought you?"Mikan bit her lip, "You…." _

_Mitsuki took out a dress from behind her. It was blue dress with flowery designs on it. "You mean this dress?" _

_Mikan scowled angrilly, "Give it back."_

_She shook her head, "Nope." She walked out of the room when Mikan lunged towards her. "Give it back!" Mikan pulled on Mitsuki's long black hair. _

_Mitsuki then walked over to Principal Kuonji's desk and took the ink bottle off of it. She raised the dress threateningly, threw it onto the ground, and poured the black ink all over it. It was ruined. _

_Mikan glared at Mitsuki and shoved her hard into the wall. They kept going at it. Pulling each other's hair, biting each other, and hitting each other. Luna finally walked in and stopped the commotion. She had slapped Mikan, not Mitsuki. _

_Mitsuki then told Luna that Mikan had been planning to sneak out to meet Natsume._

_Mikan's eyes widened, "What?! B-But..!" _

_Mitsuki smiled and then walked away. She turned back to Mikan, "I want to have EVERYTHING you have, Mikan." _

_~**~_

_It was a strange thing to do but Principal Kuonji all of sudden wanted Mikan and Mitsuki to go and have a haircut. So right after Mikan had decided she hated Mitsuki, they were going to go get a haircut. It was a suspicious thing for an evil man like the principal to suddenly order them to take a haircut. Mikan and Mitsuki looked through the book that showed the different hairstyles they could have. Mikan touched her hair. She would only cut it a little bit shorter and probably dye it a little lighter. She found it awkward for Mitsuki to keep peering over at her._

_Mikan looked up at the barber, "Um…I'd like to have this hairstyle and this color please." Mikan pointed at the page in the book._

_Mitsuki then called her barber, "I…I want exactly what she is having." Mitsuki was obviously referring to Mikan._

_~**~_

_Principal Kuonji had now taken Mikan and Mitsuki to a special clothing store in Central Town. Mikan walked up to a clothing rack and went through the dresses. Mitsuki was right beside her. Mikan pulled out a yellow short dress. Mitsuki suddenly grabbed the dress beside it that was the same. Mikan raised her eyebrows at Mitsuki's reaction and put the dress back. Mitsuki did the same. Mikan then recognized one of the dresses. It was blue and had flowery patterns on it. Mikan held the dress up. It was just like the dress Natsume had bought her! Mitsuki stared at the dress and started shuffling through the dresses to see if there was one exactly like it. None. Just when Mikan was walking up to the cashier, Mitsuki grabbed the dress from Mikan's hands._

_"M-Mitsuki! I got it first!" Mikan tried to grab it back._

_"Well, its mine now." Mitsuki took out her money, "I'll need to wear the dress if I'm meeting Natsume tomorrow."_

~**~

Mikan sat awkwardly in the back seat of the car that the woman, Luna Koizumi was driving. From this day on, this woman who said she was an assistant principal, would be her mommy. Luna had been acting very nervous around her. At least, she seemed nicer than the other people who were with them. Mikan would think that she would be happy to finally have a family of her own but she wasn't. She had this feeling that she was being brought home by criminals who were kidnapping her.

"I heard you are Natsume Hyuga's wife…" The short black haired boy said in the front seat.

Mikan didn't think it was a question so she said nothing about it, "Um…Thank you for adopting me."Luna shook her head, "Its…fine."

Nobody said anything anymore until they arrived at a decent and normal looking house. Another white car was parked into the driveway."Luna." Kuonji whispered, "I want you to stay at this house while I'm at the school, alright?""Yes."

Mikan walked up the stairs along with Luna Koizumi towards the door. Suddenly the door opened immediately. Out popped a twenty year old girl's black-haired head, "Welcome back, Luna!" The girl's smile faded when she saw Mikan, "M-Mikan?"

"Oh. Hi Mitsuki." Mikan wondered why Mitsuki was here in the first place. "What are you doing here?"

Mitsuki frowned, "What are YOU doing here?"

Luna sighed, "Mitsuki. Just get inside." She lead Mikan through the house. It looked pretty "normal" to her. The kitchen was small and there were two bathrooms. She would have to share with Mitsuki. Mikan would be sleeping in the guest's room. It was just a small blue room with a small bed, a closet, and a mirror. Mikan would be staying here from now on. It had been a careless decision but this was her…family now. Mitsuki was somewhat part of that family in a way. She plopped herself on the bed and pulled the blanket over her head. No, she didn't want to live with Mitsuki.

Mikan sighed. She didn't know what to do. Luna didn't talk much. Mitsuki was just annoying. Maybe even more annoying than she was.

Luna walked into Mikan's room and sat beside her, "Mikan…you really don't remember anything?"

"N-No…" Mikan then smiled shyly, "What were you to me?"

Luna bit her lip, "…An enemy."

Mikan thought she misheard but didn't say anything, "What was I like?"

"Annoying. Loud."

Mikan cleared her throat, "O-Okay…How did we meet?"

"…I was your classmate."

Mikan's eyes widened, "B-But you're so much older than me!"

"I know. Its confusing…" Luna sighed, "I cant believe you're alive…I am so sorry…"

Mikan shook her head, "Um…you don't have to apologize. You did nothing wrong. You're…really kind."Luna laughed, "Is that what I seem like?" She closed her eyes, "…But I cant leave him."

Mikan didn't get what she was saying, "Leave who?" "Kuonji. I need him. If I didn't have him, I wouldn't know what to do."

"O-Oh…" Mikan nodded her head as if she understood everything she was saying, "Is he like your son or something?"Luna laughed again, "No…he's much older than I am."

"UH…." Mikan frowned, "I…can tell."

"Mikan…" Luna stood up and stretched out a hand, "…Do…you forgive me?"

Mikan raised her eyebrows, "B-But you didn't do any-" Suddenly Luna pulled Mikan out of the bed and pulled her behind her, "Would I be forgiven if I helped you remember?"

"H-Huh?!" Mikan smiled wide, "Y-You'll help?!" Finally, she had hope that she would find out for sure if she was Mikan Sakura or not.

She followed Luna until they saw Mitsuki stop the door, "N-No!"

Luna outstretched a hand, "Move."

Mitsuki shook her head, "No, Luna! Please!" She fell onto her knees, "I beg you! Please, don't take her to academy! She'll remember!" "Move." Luna repeated.

"I-I'll tell the principal! Please! Don't!" Mitsuki shook her head, "I don't want to lose Natsume to her! I've been trying so hard! I-I…could go to jail!"

"You deserve it as much as I do."

Mitsuki then glared at Luna. It only seemed to be a few seconds when Luna suddenly collapsed onto the ground. Mitsuki frowned, "M-My alice isn't working!"

Luna stood up and pushed Mitsuki aside. She and Mikan ran over to the car. Mikan's head was full of questions. What did she mean she didn't want Natsume to leave her? What was she talking about? Why was she stopping Mikan from remembering? Why would she be in jail if Mikan remembered? Mikan shook those thoughts. Right now, the most important thing to do was to see this Gakuen Alice and see if she would remember anything. Mikan turned around to see Mitsuki jump into her white car and drive after them, "W-What is she doing?"

Luna sighed, "She…always wanted things going her own way.""Wait!" Mikan's nails dug into the car's leather seat, "I…I don't get this! None of this makes sense! What's Mitsuki got to do with MY past?! I-I don't remember her at all!"

Luna didn't say anything. She just drove off, with Mitsuki following them.

~**~

"Natsume?"

Natsume pulled the phone closer to his ear, "Ruka?"

"Hi. Natsume…How are you?"

After everything Ruka had made Natsume go through, he was now asking how he was? Natsume tried to cover up his anger at Ruka. "Good…how about you?"

"Good."

"…"

"…"

"…"

Ruka decided to speak up, "Natsume…M-Mikan and I are going to get married."

Natsume closed his eyes. So this was what Ruka wanted to talk about. "Oh."

"N-Natsume…?"

"What do you want to say now?" Natsume's snapped rather harshly.

Ruka fidgeted with his phone cord nervously, "…You haven't told Mikan that I…"

"No."

"W-Why?"

"Because at least I'm human enough to remember that he's my best friend."

"…" Ruka laughed meakly, "…I guess I'm not really human, aren't I?"

Natsume then found himself laughing slightly, "Well, don't forget. You are KIND of like an animal."

Ruka's laugh echoed after his.

Then it was silent afterwards.

"Will you come, Natsume?""Go where?"

"M-My…wedding. Its going to be in France, will you come?"

Natsume smirked, "You aren't afraid I might crash your party?"

Ruka smiled, "No. You wouldn't do that."

"Yes. I would." Natsume replied, sounding very serious.

"U-Um…okay."

"I have a party next week on Thursday. My mom's business partners will be there. I…have something I want to say to everyone."

"…I'll be there."

"Bye."

"Oh um…Natsume?""What?"

"Thank you, okay?"

"Bye."

Natsume hang up and slouched onto the chair. Where was Mikan? He had called her so many times but she failed to pick up. Suddenly the phone starting ringing. Natsume, hoping it was Mikan, picked it up.

"N-Natsume…" Someone was crying.

"…Mikan?" Natsume listened closer, "Are you crying?""No. Its Mitsuki."Just when Natsume was about to hang up, she starting wailing. Natsume didn't feel in the mood to back out on a crying childhood friend. Especially a friend who had protected him from bullies in the neighborhood when he was a little kid.

"What's wrong?""I want to die."

"…What?" Natsume then realized that this was a serious matter. He couldn't possibly be his cold self and say, "Okay. Who cares."

So he tried to use a gentle voice, "…Why?""B-BECAUSE!!!" She screamed, "I love you!"

"That's why you want to die?" Natsume asked bluntly, "Because you love me?""N-Natsume! Remember that day after the festival?""Oh…The day I went drinking with Mikan?"

"YOU WENT DRINKING WITH MIKAN?!" Mitsuki cried, choking between sobs now.

"What about that day?""It was the day that we would announce our marriage to everyone!"

"Oh really?" Natsume frowned, "That's scheduled next week though.""ITS SCHEDULED AGAIN BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T SHOW UP!" Mitsuki sniffed loudly. "YOU FORGOT!"

"Yeah. I guess I did.""WAHHHHH!!!!"

"That's why you want to die?"

"Do you love me Natsume?"Natsume was honest, "No."

"OMG!!! YOU DON'T LOVE ME?!"

"No."

"Natsume…I'm going to die. Right now. Goodbye…" She hung up.

Natsume raised his eyebrows, "…That was weird."

Natsume noticed that this was like one of those romantic dramas where girls would threaten their lovers with suicide. But Natsume didn't want someone to die for him. Mitsuki was no stranger. She knew him and he was in an arranged marriage with her. He grabbed his jacket from his coat rack and walked out of his mansion. He looked at his cellphone. "…That idiot…"

He shivered from the cold as he looked down at his cell phone. The call was coming from…Gakuen Alice? Natsume drove there. It was night time now. Everyone in the school was probably asleep. Actually, Mitsuki had been at the academy right after he left. She had sent him hundreds of letters and he would always write back with annoyed letters asking why she was writing to him and where Mikan was. And yet, he never received letters from Mikan Sakura, the only girl who's letters mattered the most.

He drove up to Gakuen Alice to see another car parked there. There were almost NEVER cars parked in front of the school. He walked around the gate of the school, finding his sneak-in passage. There had been a time when Natsume had sneaked in the academy to try to meet with Mikan but Mitsuki had come instead. He crawled through the hole under the gate. It had took him months to be able to find the right place where the gates wouldn't detect easily. He looked up at the academy. It was dark. Just like most dramas he watched, girls jumped buildings. He saw Mitsuki standing on top of Gakuen Alice, crying he eyes out. "Mitsuki! Get down!" Natsume called up. He started climbing the ladder that Mitsuki had gone up on.

"No! I'm going to die!"

Once Natsume got on the roof as well, he stopped. He kept a safe distance from Mitsuki, "Stop being stupid and come down with me."

"You don't love me!" Mitsuki screamed, "I don't want that!"

Natsume stepped closer, "Come down with me.""No!" Mitsuki stood closer to the edge now, "I love you! Why cant you accept that?!"Natsume sighed, "I told you to…"

"Tell me you love me! Now!"

"…""I'll jump!"

Natsume then realized that this was all part of her plan. He climbed down the ladder, "Bye." She had only lured him here to make him try to love her. It didn't work that way. He was positive she wouldn't jump. But he was wrong, she did jump. She wiped away her tears and then just jumped into mid-air. Natsume was horrified. He jumped down while on the ladder without even bothering to climb down the thirty steps. He landed on the ground and his leg suddenly twisted, "Damn it…" With a sprained knee, Natsume managed to get under Mitsuki and try to catch her fall. She landed right beside him. He had missed. She lay unconscious on the ground, blood streaming down her face. Natsume realized that she was…

He ran over to her and shook her. Her body was lifeless. Just a few minutes ago she had been crying and telling him she loved and now she was dead. "….Mitsuki?" Suddenly he heard crying above him…on the roof. He looked up to see Mitsuki standing there. Natsume was hallucinating…He closed his eyes from a few minutes and then opened them, there was a dead Mitsuki on the ground and a Mitsuki crying on the roof.

She yelled down, "See?! Do you really want to see that happen to me?! This time, I'll really jump."Natsume took a deep breath to stop his pounding heart. He was now very pissed. "What is your alice, Mitsuki?"

She didn't say anything. Natsume swore under his breath and walked away from Gakuen Alice. He had just wasted a few minutes of his life.

Soon two people exited the building. It was Mikan and Luna.

"...Mikan." Natsume muttered to himself , running to her. He then looked at Luna, "Luna...what the hell are you doing here?"

Mikan touched his shoulder, "Its okay…She's my guardian."

Luna looked at Natsume, "She remembers nothing. Absolutely nothing." Luna decided not to tell Natsume that Mikan really was the Mikan from Gakuen ALice in the past because if she did, Kuonji would be mad at her.

"…I'm not Mikan Sakura." Mikan whispered. If she was, she would never know it.

Natsume took off his jacket and wrapped it around Mikan, "I'm having a party next week. Come. I'm announcing about…a wedding."

"…Wedding." Mikan repeated, closing her eyes. "We're divorcing soon…When?"

"Tomorrow. We're…signing papers."Mikan closed her eyes again, "Its coming so soon. I…I have so many things I want to tell you…but…""Mikan?""Nothing. Forget about it." Mikan realized that her voice was sounding weird, "Look at Mitsuki. She needs you now. You have to go to plan for your wedding, right?"Natsume turned away, "You have to plan for yours…"Mikan watched Natsume walk away as she and Luna walked the opposite way…

* * *

I know that I'm totally making Natsume and Mikan go on and off with each other. Can't you guys tell that Natsume has something in plan? The guy doesn't mean everything he says. He has different intentions for saying stuff like that! Readers, what is your favorite chapter so far? I want to know what kind of events you like! Mine is the festival chapter. What's yours?

Anyway, I'm starting another fanfic soon. This is the summary : It started with ten beautiful contestants and the famous celebrity, Natsume Hyuga. Broadcasting on national television, it's the ultimate dating show! Who will Natsume choose? Could it be the sweet and kind Luna Koizumi, quiet and intelligent Hotaru Imai, or the poor and idiotic Mikan Sakura? (Rated T, Romance and Comedy)

I'm so exicted to write this story but of course, I'll be continueing this story. The girls who Natsume might choose are : Mikan, Hotaru, Luna, Sumire, Anna, Nonoko, Misaki, Yuri, Nobara, and Yura Otonashi. Please read it when it comes out! ^_^


	15. The More I Miss You

Oh my god...It's been 2 years? I have to tell you guys that I am so sorry. I can't believe I haven't been on for a year. I'm really sorry. I'm serious. I am really mad at myself for leaving this story hanging for a while... Of course, life has been difficult and I have been terribly busy. I'm sorry. A lot has happened and I just had to stop. I want to thank you for reading my fanfic. I am really happy. It's because of you guys, that I'm finally on track...THANK YOU! Now, I REALLY will continue this story! Trust me! I WILL. I am SO THANKFUL you guys are still reading this.I WILL FINALLY UPDATE. Well, now I should improve my writing. I really hope you guys forgive me! It makes me sad that some of you guys are angry.

Well, here is this chapter...Looking back at my fanfic, I think...EW! This is my writing! Hahaha! I bet most of you guys are like that too! I wrote this when I was...young. Anyway, I'm really sorry.

Enjoy. PLEASE rate and review. Also, HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

Since it's been a very long time, I'll try my best to catch up with the story. Thank you for reading! Please rate and review! I'll continue with the flashbacks next time.

* * *

Mikan stared at the alarm clock next to her...It was 10 PM. She zipped up her jacket as she stared at herself in the mirror. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know where to go. She left the house, wrapping her warm scarf around her neck. Tomorrow, she would be signing papers. If he had really loved her, he would be with her right now. But he wasn't.

She walked for a long time until she reached her favorite restaurant.

"Hello." She nodded at the waitress, "Can I-?"  
She noticed two figures sitting together at a table. It was Natsume and Ruka. He was there. He was the last person she wanted to see.

"U-Um...I just forgot that I had to go..." Mikan smiled at the waitress and quickly turned away when a voice called out to her.

"Mikan!"

She turned around to see Ruka, "O-Oh...Hi..." She walked up to his table. Natsume didn't even glance at her.

Ruka smiled, "Um...what are you doing here?" He offered her a chair.

"I was just grabbing something to eat." Mikan told him, sitting down. She stared awkwardly at the floor, "Ruka, why are you here...with...him?"

Ruka smiled, "We were just talking."

Talking about what? Mikan looked at a bouquet of roses sitting on the chair next to Ruka.

"Oh..." Ruka quickly handed them to Mikan, "I was just going to drop by and give these for you..."

Mikan smiled, "You didn't have to..."

There was a diamond ring sitting inside one of the roses. She didn't say anything and placed it onto her lap, not looking at it for a second time.

"Do you want anything to drink? To eat?" Ruka handed her a menu.

"No." Mikan shook her head, "It's alright..." She looked up at Natsume who was slowly drinking his cup of wine.

"Um..." Mikan stood up, "Maybe...I should go...Nice seeing you..." She bowed slightly, turning around.

Ruka stood up as well, "D-Don't you want to sing karaoke?"

Mikan bit her lip, "But I..."

Above Mikan's head, the television screen turned on. The music in the restaurant started playing as lyrics appeared on the screen. A waitress handed Ruka the microphone as he sang into it shyly. He blushed, singing very sappy love lyrics. She politely sat down, not daring to look at Natsume, who was drinking another glass of wine.

Mikan sat on her bed, holding the bouquet of flowers in her hand, playing with the diamond ring with her fingers. She placed the ring down onto the desk. Suddenly her lip trembled and she sat there, crying. She shouldn't have left the house. She hadn't wanted to see 'him.' Suddenly someone knocked the door. Quickly wiping her teras, Mikan stood up, walking out of her room and reaching the door. But before she turned the door knob, she stopped.

"Op..e..n..." A hand banged on the door repeatedly, "M...Mi...kan..." Natsume staggered in front of it, leaning his hand against the door for support. He crouched over, coughing.

She peaked through an opening in her door.

He continued banging on the door, "Mikan...Why don't...you...open..." He panted heavily, "Ugh...He suddenly turned around, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "...Mi...kan..."

"Natsume..." Mikan whispered quietly. She suddenly opened the door and caught him before he would fall over. His breath smelled like liquor. She held him as he drooped his head over her shoulder and his hands falling to his sides.

"You're...pathetic...You idiot..." Mikan took a few steps back, about to haul him inside. But she thought against it and stopped, leaning against the door, "What...are you doing here, Natsume?"

"What...the...hell...Getting...all..." Natsume moved away from Mikan, falling back and hitting the ground. "...excited over...that..."

Natsume tried to get up slowly, "G...etting all happy over...some singing...dancing...flowers..." He gained his balance and stood up again, stumbling and nearly falling. He grabbed Mikan by the shoulders, "I can...do...those things...too..." He moved his head forward and rested his head onto her shoulder, his face burying into her neck. "Damn...it. I can...sing...better..." He closed his eyes, "I...could...buy all the flowers...you...want..He can sing...I can sing..."

He muttered something afterwords but Mikan didn't hear him.

Mikan linked her arms under his arms, holding him. "Y-You...are always so irresponsible!" Mikan cried,"Why did you come here?"

"H-Heaven...doesn't know...The farther we are apart..." He closed his eyes, "The more...I miss you..."

"S-Stop..." Mikan felt tears fill her eyes, "I hate you...Everything was fine until you came along! Why are you here?" She shoved him away, "I hate you...I hate you so much... Go away...One minute, you tell me this...One minute, you're telling me..."

Natsume suddenly entered her house, walking into her room.

"What are you doing?" Mikan cried, wiping her tears.

"This..." Natsume grabbed the bouquet of flowers, "This is an eyesore..." He threw it onto the ground, "He made you happy with just this...What...can...I...do...to..."

He leaned back and collapsed onto the ground.

Mikan crouched towards him, "P-Please...just leave...I-I...d-don't want to..." Mikan closed her eyes, tears running down the side of her face.

"E-Everything...He can do..." Natsume opened his eyes again, breathing against Mikan's cheek. "I...can do...better."

He leaned forward, touched the side of Mikan's face, and pressed his lips against her's.

* * *

YAY! I felt all happy while writing this. I'm sorry this chapter is super short! I'm planning to make this fanfic much longer. I know...how the beginning was so boring. Hahaha! I hate Ruka now. I'm sorry I made him into such a hateable person. I'll try to make him seem more Ruka-like... If there's anything you want to tell me! Please tell me! I'm writing the next one soon! Please read and review! Take care!


	16. Long Ago

I've been wanting to wrap up my story a long time ago. I wanted to solve any confusion. I guess I think its the right time now! Thank you for all the reviews! I'm sorry that I made so many of you mad! I'm sorry. I know, the relationship between Mikan and Natsume is such a rollercoaster. But on a rollercoaster, the ride will always stop (At least, it should stop). ^_^ Please enjoy, rate, and review please! I have not updated in a while. I just had an IV last week. I'm still quite tired. I'm been really sick again so I'm sorry for not updating. Thank you very much for reading!

* * *

Mikan woke up, breathing slowly. She sat up, running her fingers through her hair. Her hand suddenly touched a piece of paper. She raised it up to her face and read it. It was a divorce paper...and it was signed by Natsume Hyuga. She stared at her clothes. They were still on. 'Thank god' she smiled to herself. Mikan's hands slowly trembled. She held onto the divorce paper tightly, leaning forward and covering it with her face, hiding the tears that now began to run down her cheeks. She was free but why was she so sad?

Why was she here? Mikan stood in front of Natsume's home, shivering in the cold. There was no sky. Wind blew against her face, making Mikan tighten the scarf around her neck. She had stood out in the cold, in front of his house for so long. She was tired of running away. She wanted to tell him. She finally made it up the steps and rang the door bell, when she suddenly regretted it. Was this too sudden? What would he think? The door opened and there stood Natsume, in a warm sweater. He stared at her without saying anything. He turned around and grabbed his coat, putting on his shoes. The two of them were quiet.  
Mikan didn't look at him as he followed him, towards the sidewalk. "Mikan, why are yo-" "I love you." Mikan cried suddenly.  
Natsume immedietally turned around. She had never seen him so surprised. "I love you...I love everything about you." Mikan said again. She closed her eyes tightly, "...I-I...I love you, Natsume." Natsume and Mikan both stood there, facing each other. He took a few steps towards her but she stopped him, "D-Don't come here! I-I was scared...I was scared that I wasn't Mikan Sakura..." Mikan trembled, "I was jealous of the girl who was loved by so many...By Hotaru...By Tsubasa...and by you. But I didn't want to be the replacement for someone who I didn't know...For someone who I can't remember..." Mikan closed her eyes, "The only things I can remember are the things that have happened these past six years...Living with Yuki...Ruka...Ha...I don't even really know his name..." Mikan smiled with sad eyes, "He supported me for six years...He had multiple jobs...He rented us an apartment..."  
"Mikan."  
"I was always wondering who I was...and I didn't know what to believe in..."  
Natsume reached out and touched Mikan's hand. She slowly brushed it away. But she yearned for it. She yearned for the warmth of his hand but she couldn't reach it. She didn't want to replace Mikan Sakura. "B-But..." Mikan stood there, shivering quietly in the snow, her eyes fixed on the ground. She held onto her scarf tightly, "I believe in you..." Mikan stopped and stared at the ground. "Hahaha..." Mikan laughed, "S-Sorry...What am I saying...I-I guess..." Tears began to form in her eyes, "D-Don't listen to my rambling...So we part ways, now...right?"  
'No. What am I saying?' Mikan felt tears run down the side of her cheek, "I hope you find her soon...The real Mikan..." Mikan turned around quickly, "I'm sorry for wasting your time...I'm sorry I couldn't remem-"  
"Stop it." Natsume took a few steps towards her. "Stop it..." "No...D-Don't come closer..." Mikan stepped back, bringing her wool scarf up to her face. "Why..." Natsume ran up to her, holding her tightly. He halted her, breathing heavily as he held her head close to his chest, "Why won't you look at me? ARE YOU AN IDIOT?" He cried at her, "You come to my house and then suddenly you tell me you love me and you're just going to walk away?" "I-I don't want to!"Mikan cried aloud, sobbing. He stood behind her, his arms wound around the neck of her jacket and her scarf. "I don't want you to fall in love with someone like me!" Natsume held her tighter, "That's not true!"  
She felt his warm breath against the side of her neck. "I'm...a useless person with no memories! I can't even remember the faces of my own parents! I don't want you...to fall in love with me because you think I'm someone I'm not..."  
"Shut up!" Natsume cried, "Stop talking and listen to me!" Mikan bit her lip tightly as she closed her eyes, quietly crying, "Natsume, you're so mean...Hic..."  
"Don't mention Mikan Sakura again..." He whispered to her, "Remember when I first saw you? When you poked me in the eye with an umbrella?...I didn't know what to believe in..." He let go of Mikan and slowly turned her body around so that she could face him. She turned her head away, her face red from the tears. She slowly raised her eyes and looked at him, "What do you believe in now?"  
Natsume took her hand but this time she didn't pull away, "I believe in you..."  
"L-Liar!" Mikan took the other hand and quickly wiped her tears, "Don't steal my line! Why do you keep contradicting yourself? You tell me that you're going to get married to Mitsuki! You tell me we're getting divorced! You show up all drunk! Now! You tell me..." Natsume let go of Mikan's hand, "If I went with you...I would be full of guilt for the rest of my life...Guilt towards Mikan Sakura...Guilt towards you."  
"Huh?" "Mikan and I met when we were around ten years old...and I've loved her for all these years...When she disappeared, I had panic attacks every day...I've been living on medication these past five years." Mikan didn't say anything, pulling the scarf to her face again. She had never known. "If I just left all my memories with her and went with you, how would I live with myself?...What if she's waiting for me...Even if I lived with you, I would always think of her."  
Mikan understood his words. Mikan Sakura. A girl Mikan felt was so distant. A person she was afraid to be replacement for. She hated that girl. A girl who bounded her from loving the people she wanted to. A girl who Natsume loved. Mikan had never thought about it. Natsume had once loved another girl. "Natsume..." Mikan reached out and touched his arm, "I-If I was Mikan Sakura right now...what would you say?"  
"Don't be stupid." Natsume said suddenly, turning away. Natsume was silent for a while, his eyes staring at the ground. "N-Natsume.." Mikan reached for his arm, "What would you say?" She repeated, looking into his dark crimson eyes. "I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY!" Natsume cried, immedietally pulling away from Mikan's touch. Mikan was on the verge of tears, "That's not true...What would you say?"  
Natsume suddenly stopped, "Please..." Natsume seemed to lose strength in his legs,"I'll throw everything away...I'll do anything."  
Mikan slowly took out a hand and touched Natsume. She hated this. She was afraid of the answer. Natsume whispered, "Just please...come back..."  
She knew. She knew from the very beginning. She wished she hadn't asked him. Mikan suddenly felt the tears flow down her cheeks, immedietally stepping away from Natsume.  
"S-Sorry..." She brought her hand over her face, "I-I..." She shook her head, "I can't be Mikan Sakura...I can't make you happy..." Mikan took a few steps back, "Sorry..."  
Natsume, seeing that she was crying again, didn't say anything.  
Mikan didn't bother wiping away her tears, "Why did you come to me that day? Why did you have to make a deal with me? Why did you follow me? I hate you..." No, I love you. Mikan laughed, "You're only standing next to me because you thought I was Mikan Sakura...H-How could you?" Mikan screamed, "WHY?" "No." Natsume looked up at her, "I knew you weren't." Mikan didn't say anything. What was he saying? "What?"  
"I knew it...I just didn't believe it." "What?" Mikan walked up to him, "What...Natsume?" Why had he made a deal with her? Why had he taken here to see so many people? Why had she wanted her to remember when he knew...  
Mikan had never seen someone so sad. His eyes wouldn't look at her. Natsume closed his eyes tightly, "Mikan Sakura..." He took a deep breath, "She died years ago."


	17. Thank you for everything

I just turned 15 a few days ago! You guys do not believe how happy I am. All my life, I've always wanted to be 15. My mom used to tell me that when a person reaches 15, they become beautiful...I don't see it. lol.

Boku Ga Ita? Is that an anime? If so, I apologize! I honestly have never seen or read Bokura Ga Ita! I am sorry for stealing stuff from it though! AAHHHHH! SORRY! I must have seen or heard of it from somewhere and I must have thought, "hey! why not use that!" LOL. Sorry! Should I go back and change it? If you think I should, then what part was it? What quotes?

^_^ Thank you for pointing it out. Again, I apologize to the person who created Boku Ga Ita.

Also, sure, I will separate paragraphs and stuff. ^_^ Sorry for the trouble.

Ugh...I just got an IV yesterday...I'm really tired. *Sigh* A few months ago, I fainted and went to the hospital. The medical bill was sent home and then I was like, 0_o. OMG.

I'll update as soon as I can! I'm REALLY busy with school and I'm like ALWAYS sick. Heck, I'm sick right now.

Oh! I forgot! Um...I don't know what I said earlier but...in this story, the "past arc" took place 5 years ago when Mikan, Natsume, Ruka, and everyone else was around 16 years old. After the time skip, they're all around 21..which would explain their marriage, their alcohol drinking, etc...So yeah! ^_^

Please rate and review! THANK YOU! I'll do my best to clear up any confusion in the story. ^_^ I know this is confusing as heck right now. But trust me! It will make sense! (I hope..)

I'm sorry how a lot of you don't like where the story is going. I'll do my best to patch things up. ^_^ ...like FINALLY letting Mikan _ again!

Bye! Take care!

NOTE: The italics show the flashback continuation of earlier chapters.

* * *

Mikan and Natsume stood in front of a marble gravestone and on it was clearly the name, "Mikan Sakura."

Mikan bent over the grave stone, "Y-You...You...are d-dead..." She placed her hand over her mouth but this time she didn't cry. She was in too much shock.

Natsume closed his eyes, "It was around five years ago when I found out that she had died when a huge building caught on fire...fire...I don't even know why she was even there...or why it caught on fire..."

He stared at the grave stone, "The day I found out, I didn't cry...I felt as if I had died..."

Natsume opened his eyes and stared at the sky, "Thank you...I hope you will forgive me one day..." He stared at the gravestone.

"No..." She tried her best to smile, "T-Thank you..." She leaned her body forward and bowed her head, "T-Thank you...for everything."

_'Natsume...the moments I spent with you were the happiest moments of my life." _

Mikan turned and walked away. But once she felt she was far enough, she looked back. Natsume leaned over the gravestone and kissed it, crying.

* * *

_"H-Hi…Yuki…"? Mikan whispered quietly and she soon closed her eyes again, her head tilting back and the energy from her body completely gone. She had lost consciousness again._

_"Crap...What should I do? Where should I go?" Carrying Mikan on his back, Ruka ran as quickly as he could. She began to bleed more now, her blood streaming down the side of her face. He was scared. He could feel her faint breathing against his neck, but he wasn't so sure. He had to get her to a doctor soon. But he didn't want to go back to the academy. If he did, then he would probably have no chance with her ever again. He had also escaped from the school, something that was nearly impossible. Where would he go? Where would he take Mikan?_

_Ruka panted heavily, exhausted from the weight against his back. He left the forest and arrived at the city. Cars drove by slowly. One of them stopped by the sidewalk and a young woman walked out, "Oh...Oh...my god...I-I'll take you to the hospital!" She immediately ran towards Ruka and helped him lay Mikan down into the backseat of the car. _

_They drove towards the hospital and Ruka went out of the car, "Thank you...so...much. I'll go get a doctor..."_

_The young women nodded slowly, her eyes closed tightly, breathing very slowly at the thought of the dying girl laying in her back seat._

_Ruka ran towards the entrance of the hospital and a doctor walked towards him. Nurses and doctors ran all over the place, pushing patients. He saw nearly a dozen patients with their entire bodies covered with a white blanket. _

_"H-Help! A-A girl...is..." Ruka grabbed the doctor's sleeve but the doctor quickly brushed him away._

_The doctor apologized quickly, "I'm sorry! I have to prepare for an operation soon..."_

_Ruka ran towards one of the nurses but she ignored him and ran down the hallway. Ruka had never seen so many patients and such a busy hospital before. He looked around, panicking. "HEY! Please listen to me!" He yelled again at the nurse, "A girl is injured! She just...!"_

_"I'm really sorry!" The nurse cried, "A huge building has just caught on fire! We have at more than thirty other victims of the fire! I'm sorry! Someone else might be able to help you..." She ran away quickly. _

_Ruka began sweating uncontrollably, trembling at the bitter smell and sight of Mikan's blood on his hands and clothes. _

_He suddenly noticed a hospital bed pushed to the side of the hall, unattended. He slowly walked up to it, lifting the white blanket so that he could see the person's face. He glimpsed at the body and immediately let go of the blanket. He placed his hand against the wall, his hand over his mouth and he tried to calm down. The person's face was gone. The face had been completely burnt and he couldn't identify if it had been a young teen or an elderly or how the person even looked like. Their face had been completely burnt. The only thing left that Ruka could see was the person's clothes, now almost completely destroyed and burnt. The person was wearing a dress. The person had been a girl._

_Ruka suddenly came into realization. He ran out of the hospital again, approaching the car. He opened the door and Mikan's body still lay there. _

_The woman stared at him, "W-Why are you here? Where are the doctors?"_

_Ruka ignored her and immediately searched Mikan's body. A bracelet was tightly wound around her arm so he couldn't remove it. He placed his hand into her pockets, searching for it..._

_He felt it against his fingers. Her ID card at Gakuen Alice. He grabbed the ID. Mikan Sakura. A Student at Gakuen Alice. _

_He left the car again, slamming the door behind him and approached the body laying in the bed again. Shaking, he held his breath and he slowly lifted the blanket and placed Mikan's ID into the pocket of the person's jacket. He closed his eyes, "I'm so sorry..." He whispered and he turned around, and left the hospital._

_He reached the car once again and the woman had gotten out of the car, "What the hell are you doing? She's been bleeding here and what have you...!"_

_"D-Do you know the manor beside Midori Golf Course?" Ruka cried. _

_"W-Why aren't you?" The woman stopped and nodded slowly, "Y-Yes...The Golden Manor with those huge gates..."_

_"P-Please..." Ruka leaned his body forward and bowed towards the woman, "P-Please...take me there...I beg of you...I will pay you as much money as you want..Or anything...Just please..." _

_"B-But what abo-" Hearing this, the woman began to cry, "What have I got my self into..." She walked back to the car and started the engine, "Hurry up and get in."_

* * *

_"W-What...is this..." A very beautiful woman stood in front of Mikan's body, her long blond hair falling onto her shoulders. "R-Ruka...You haven't been home in years...and now...there's..." She placed her hand over her heart, her eyes wide, "S-She's..."_

_Ruka was on his knees, "Please...mother...Save her..."_

_His mother shook her head and stepped back, "I-I can't believe this...Why would you bring home..." She looked as if she was going to faint. She turned away slowly and began to walk up the staircase. She motioned to the butler, who was standing next to her, with her hand, "Save the poor girl..." _

* * *

NOTE: The italics show the flashback continuation of earlier chapters.

YAY! I've finally written what I've been wanting to write. ^_^ It's really short, I know...

I hope this chapter wasn't too boring...I read it over and I kept thinking, "Whoa! This is poorly written!"

I should improve my writing skills. -_- I use the word, "suddenly" and "immediately" like 80 times. lol.

Again, thank you to everyone who reviewed and read the story.

Bye! Take care! PLEASE remember to review! I love reviews! ^_^ A lot.


	18. Putting the Pieces Back Together

I'm sorry for the long update. ^_^ School is almost coming to an end and so I have A LOT of homework. _ It's almost Finals too and I'm writing this. haha I should be studying right now. Did the last chapter confuse you? I hope it didn't. ^_^ Thank you for reading! Thank you for your kind comments. Please review! I'm planning to bring this fanfic to an end soon and since it's almost summer break! I'll write lots of fanfics. _

* * *

Ruka was slowly going through his closet, digging useless things out so he could throw them away. He suddenly felt his hand touch something warm. He pulled it out to see a large circular stone. It was bright red. "Natsume..."

It had been Natsume's Alice stone, given to Ruka when they were younger and still best friends. It was one of Natsume's largest stones, taken from Natsume's shortening lifespan in order to protect him. Ruka placed it aside. He went through another box and pulled out another pebble...It was light orange and tiny. It was Mikan's Alice stone. She had given it to him as a sign of friendship. He had known that. The one she had exchanged stones with, a symbol for proposal, was Natsume.

She didn't love him. The one she had loved with Natsume. He had seen her cry countless times...He was the one who had made her cry. Over the five years he had spent with her, he always believed she would grow to love him...But he had forced her. He had made her cry. He had betrayed his best friend, the person who had card for the most before he had ever met Mikan.

Ruka picked up some photos. In the photos, there, he stood beside Natsume, smiling.

Natsume would come home from a mission, covered with bruises or sometimes even blood. Ruka had knelt over Natsume and cried.

Ruka put down the photo and went through his pocket to take out his cell phone. If he told Mikan, she would probably hate him...

Slowly, he dialed in her number.

* * *

It had probably been eleven at night and Mikan had spent the entire day, wandering around. After hours of walking, she had finally arrived where she had wanted to. She reached her hand out and felt the cold metal against her fingers. She was standing outside the gates of Gakuen Alice. She let go and laughed at herself. She was such an idiot.

The cell phone in her pocket was ringing. She didn't bother to hear what anyone wanted to say. She grabbed the cell phone and out of frustration, she threw it across the gate towards Gakuen Alice. Stupid school...Stupid Mikan Sakura...She hated Mikan Sakura...Because of her, she had to suffer...

She breathed in slowly, turning around suddenly and walking onto the middle of the street. She looked up at the dark sky and closed her eyes. Who was she, really?

Suddenly she turned around and bright lights suddenly shown in her face. A loud sound was heard...It sounded like a car's honking...

Mikan opened her eyes, feeling the cold ground under her. Why was she on the ground? She opened her eyes slowly and saw nothing but darkness. Someone was crying hysterically, wailing out "Help me!" She blinked tiredly. What was going on? There was a strong smell of iron...blood? She tried to bring her hand up to her face but she couldn't move. Suddenly she began to see the silohuettes of multiple people approaching her. Red lights. Blue lights. There was an unbearable pain in her head and the word seemed to be spinning slowly around her. The screaming continued and it was so loud, it began to deafen her ears..."Please be quiet...Please stop screaming...It hurts...It hurts so much..." She thought to herself when suddenly she realized something. The person screaming had been her. The great pain in her head...The pain... She closed her eyes...

'A young handsome boy's face suddenly appeared in front of her. He had large crimson red eyes and dark hair. He had taken her hand looked at her with his sad eyes_, "I, this hand...This hand that brought you out of there...I don't want to give this hand of yours to someone else, if only I had the power, this instant, I want to become an adult so that I can bring you out and run away with you..." '_

She saw a young girl, resembling so much like herself. The girl had long brown hair and a youthful face. She held a broom in her hands and turned to the young red-eyed boy_, "Don't let yourself be hurt so much anymore...Rather, let me be your strength..."_

A different scene suddenly appeared in front of her…The brown-haired girl was right on top of the black-haired boy, frozen as a beautiful blonde-haired boy appeared in front of them... The blonde boy looked so much like Ruka,_ "What are you guys doing?"_

_The girl shook her head immediately, "What? What do you mean? Th-this isn't..."_

_The red-eyed boy sat up, "Stop jumping on me just because no one is looking, perverted woman."_

Hotaru's face appeared again, this time as a face of a very young child,_ "Hey."_

_The brown-haired girl turned around, "Huh?"_

_"Do you want to be...friends with me?"_

_The brown-haired girl's face lit up, "Huh?" She repeated._

_Hotaru turned away, "As long as we act ourselves, don't you think cute girls like us sticking together has a lot of benefits?"_

And then there she was. Her face…and Natsume's face. She recognized it now.

"_Natsume! Please let me steal your Alice!" Mikan desperately cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks._

"…_No! That means I'll have to leave! Who will protect you from the Dangerous Abilities Class?" Natsume shook his head._

"…_I don't want you to die." With that, Mikan outstretched her hand and placed it on Natsume's forehead._

_Mikan wrapped her arms around Natsume's neck, "I love you."_

These pieces of memories…Mikan began to remember them all. These were her memories.

* * *

Natsume picked up the phone. He had been sleeping on his couch for such a long time.

He brought the phone to his ear to hear Tsubasa's voice, "N-Natsume!" He was yelling.

"What is it?" Natsume said tiredly, sitting up.

"You have to go to Ozawa Hospital right now!" Tsubasa yelled. His voice shook, and he sounded to even be crying. "It was a car accident outside Gakuen Alice. M-Mikan is in the hospital! Come now!"

Natsume immediately dropped the phone.

* * *

Ruka stood outside Mikan's operation room, fidgeting uncontrollably. She hadn't picked up her phone and a few seconds later, he had heard that she was hit by a car. He walked back and forth while Hotaru, Tsubasa, and Misaki sat on the seat, all on the verge of tears. Natsume was standing against the wall, his eyes wide upon, still from the shock. No one dared to approach him. A few minutes earlier, he almost tried to kill the driver of the car.

Misaki began crying, "The driver said she was just wandering around and then suddenly stepped onto the middle of the street and when he continued to honk at her, she still stood there. I hope nothing happened to her…"

Ruka looked over at Natsume, "Natsume…"  
"Don't talk to me."

"I need to tell you something…Please."

Natsume suddenly brought his eyes up and looked into Ruka's blue eyes.

Ruka nodded, "Let's go outside." He began to walk out of the hospital and Natsume began to follow him when suddenly a nurse came out of Mikan's operation room. Natsume and Ruka immediately turned around and approached the nurse.  
The nurse brought her hand up to her forehead to wipe off her sweat, "The patient, she's in critical condition. But please don't worry. The patient is under our great care. We have given her an anesthesia so she should be fine for the rest of the operation. The driver was speeding so she's lost a lot of blood. We need to do blood transfusions but since she's an O-…The only blood who can give to her blood type is O-."

Natsume froze. He couldn't give Mikan his blood. He was most definitely B. Angry, he stepped back.

Ruka approached the nurse, "Mikan's blood type is O. I'm also O-. Take my blood." Ruka turned towards Natsume, "I'm sorry, Natsume…I'll talk to you later."

Natsume stood there, watching as Ruka follow the Nurse into the operation room.

He couldn't lose her, yet he couldn't do anything for her.

* * *

Thank you for reading! _ Please review!


	19. Where and who am I?

It's summer break and I was so excited to publish fanfiction until my beloved four year-old Sony Vaio passed away. :( The computer repair place said that I fried the motherboard. *sniff*

I just recently got a new Sony Vaio and since it's been a really long time since I updated (I'm super sorry!), I decided to submit 2 chapters! _ Please forgive me for the slow update! Now with my beautiful gray laptop, I'll be able to submit more chapters. But I think this story is coming to an end really soon. Thank you for all of you who stuck with it till the end! ^_^ Please read and review! Thank you! Enjoy...

* * *

The room was filled with a soft clean scent. Mikan's still body was covered from chest down with a freshly washed linen blanket. 'Where am I?' She thought, having no strength to open her eyelids yet all her other senses began to slowly awaken. She could hear her breathing being unnaturally loud and she felt a facemask over her mouth. She felt the moisture fog up in the nebulizer over her mouth with every breath she took.

_'Am I...in the hospital?' _

There was a beeping sound in the background and gradually, she opened her eyelids to see a darkly lit room. She looked to her left to see a large window and the light of the moon pouring in. It was night...and she was in the hospital. She reached out and took off the mask over her face.

_'Why am I here?'_ She thought. The room seemed to be unbelievably cold. She slowly tried to sit up when abruptly she felt intense aching and seemingly a pain seething through her entire body. She winced in pain and by pulling the white sheets away from her body, she saw that her entire hip was wrapped with bandages.

Breathing very heavily as sweat seemed to pour down against her skin, she managed to let down her legs along the side of the hospital bed.

_'Someone...Help me...It hurts...' _

Holding onto a nearby chair to support herself, she tried to get off the bed. Suddenly she felt extremely dizzy. She reached up and again her fingers, feeling another bandage wrapped around the right side of her skull. But with a single touch, she gasped at the sudden throbbing inside her head. She leaned her body forward as her weak body fell onto the ground. Mikan, lying on her stomach, felt the cold floor against her face. She closed her eyes and saw _'him'_ again.

It was the face of a young child with black hair and large eyes the color of deep red she had seen before. But who was he? He was sitting cross-legged along a stream. Mikan watched as the young brown-haired girl with pigtails approached him. The girl...looked just like herself. The young girl opened her mouth, _"Ahh...Natsume...What are you doing here?"_

What? Did the young girl just call him...Natsume?

Mikan continued to watch on as the two drifted into conversation and then into an argument, and then into a water splashing battle. Mikan watched as the young boy call out to the girl, _"Hey...Ugly."_

_"I'm not answering that..."_ The girl muttered back angrily, pulling on one of her pigtails that was now soaked with water.

"_You still going to have that hair five years from now?"_ He suddenly asked.

Mikan's hand began to tremble...She slowly brought her hand up to her mouth...

_"It doesn't look good on you. In five years...Wear it down…"_ The young boy stood up and turned away before turning back and saying, "_It looks better that way."_

Suddenly, the scene disappeared. Mikan was back on the cold ground, trembling.

Mikan slowly stood up, walking towards the door. She couldn't remember the last time she cried so hard.

She forced a smile on her face, reaching out to touch her hair, "Her hair…It had already been five years and there it was…Her hair was down…She was still the same person. He was still the same person. No matter who she was…She would always come to love him.

These scenes...She had dreamt of them for so long these past few months...But now she knew they were actually...

Suddenly, she felt energy return to her body and using every ounce of her strength, she turned the doorknob. She entered the hallway to see that it was also lighted very dimly. She was alone.

Again, the young boy's face appeared. The boy's face was dirtied and while his body seemed to be injured and in pain, he stood bravely in front of the brown-haired girl, _"The woman I love...As I see her sink in the same darkness as I am in...what damn things might happen to her in the future...Those type of thoughts can't enter my head right now...The future that you guys want...I don't care about that. From now on...whatever happens...I will protect this person."_

A pained expression swept over her face. Tears ran down her face, falling as small droplets onto the floor. Walking towards somewhere she had no idea of, she began to sob silently, breathing in sharply with every cry. She felt anger, loneliness, and a tragic feeling of longing...for _'him.'_

Mikan came into realization. They weren't dreams...They were...

That young girl with those brown pigtails...It was...herself.

Fragments of her thoughts welled up inside her mind.

But all she could think of at the moment was that she wanted to see him and that she was…Mikan Sakura.

* * *

"You were supposed to monitor her! If you had returned a bit later, who knows what would have happened to the patient?"

"I'm really sorry…I was on a very short bathroom break but I can't believe that someone like her would actually leave and walk so far…"

"Hmm…you're right. I've worked here for a very long time and it's extremely rare for a patient who just woke up after so many months in bed to actually have the strength to just wander off…"

"Wait! But doctor, why wasn't there anyone in the halls? Where were the security guards, the doctors, and the nurses?"

"Don't you know? We're in the only section in the hospital where so many staff members and patients are forbidden to enter considering all those people from the press, paparazzi, and those photographers who keep trying to find our patient here. The security guards probably went on a very LONG bathroom break just like you did."

Mikan slowly opened her eyes to see an incredibly brightly lit room. It was so bright that it hurt her eyes. She could hear the faint voices of the people around her, yet she couldn't exactly make out what they were actually saying. The room was nearly completely white and hovering over here stood the silhouettes of two people. Their faces were extremely blurry. A man stood over here and smiled at her, saying something that she couldn't make out of. He had blonde hair and two large blue eyes…

'_Stay away from me…I don't want to see you right now.' _ It was all she could think of at that instant. She immediately turned her head away as her eyesight became blurry after she blinked away a drop of tear. Ruka Nogi…The boy who she cared for as a young child and a great friend who she held dear to her heart…lied to her for five years of her life.

Once her vision cleared up, she realized he was simply just a doctor of European descent. Her body began to calm down as the doctor helped her sit up.

She opened her mouth, "Where am I?" But suddenly she realized something. She reached out her hand and touched her throat. No sound had escaped from her mouth. She repeated it again, "Where am I?" Still, her throat made no sound. She turned to the nurse beside her bed and reached out for the nurse's arm and said, "What's wrong with my voice?" But again, nothing came out of her mouth.

The doctor with the blonde hair approached her, "Miss Ishikawa…I wonder if you know this or not but just three months ago, you were in a fatal car accident."

Mikan was confused. She tried to remember but it seemed such a long time ago. But that didn't concern her right now. She opened her mouth again, "What happened to my voice?" She mouthed with her lips.

"And your voice...What you are experiencing is quite rare but possible. The trauma to the voice box caused by the neck trauma you experienced has temporarily damaged your larynx and your voice box...Your voice should come back after a period of time so no need to worry.

Mikan seemed to calm down and nodded slowly.

The nurse standing by her side smiled as she softly touched Mikan's shoulder, "Miss Ishikawa! I can guarantee you that with your fast recovery; we'll be releasing you as soon as possible!"

Mikan smiled and nodded, but her thoughts were elsewhere. Mikan felt as if she had been reborn again. Yet, unlike a newborn that experiences no worries and troubles of his future and present when he takes his first breath, she felt incredibly sad. It was not that she had remembered again the most important loved ones in her life but that she had ever forgotten them in the first place…How she could ever forget _'him?' _

She turned her head to look outside. Outside the window, through the curtains, she could see the sky was a beautiful blue color and the sun shone brightly. She thought about it.

'_He'_ looked at the same sky. They both stood under the same sky. Just the thought of it made her feel reassured and she smiled.


	20. Scared

Please read and review! ^_^

* * *

Sitting on a wheelchair, Mikan reached out and touched the glass of the window, looking down on the enormous city. The sudden burst of energy when she first woke up about a few weeks ago had drained out a lot of the energy in her body. The past couple of weeks, she had been regaining her energy and health much quicker than anyone would have expected. She still had trouble walking and whenever she did, she would find herself falling flat onto the ground. She picked up one of the magazines sitting in a messy stack near her bed, on a small table. The first magazine on top of the pile displayed an enormous picture of her. It had just been recent that the nation found out about her car accident. The hospital made sure that no one, including friends and family could ever set foot into her hospital room and get the chance to see her during hospitalization. She had been exhausted of moving to different beds nearly every day prevent it. She rubbed her temple tiredly. She actually couldn't remember much of the accident and actually had no idea why she was standing in front of Gakuen Academy. She leaned back against her wheelchair and closed her eyes.

There was a loud knock against the door and in popped the head of one of the nurses. Mikan turned her wheelchair around and smiled, waving at the nurse cheerfully.

"Good morning Miss Ishikawa." The nurse approached her, "I see you have already been dressed. You look wonderful."

Mikan had dressed herself, wearing a light pink dress and white loose fitting arm sleeve. Using the armrests of the wheelchair as support, she slowly stood up. Her legs were a bit wobbly but she slowly made her way towards the nurse. The nurse immediately took her by the arm and led her out of the room, "Don't worry. Your legs will be a bit tired early in the morning. You should be fine throughout the day."

The nurse reached out and placed an enormously large white sunhat on top of Mikan's head, "Alright then! It's time to say goodbye to this hospital!" Mikan and the nurse entered the hallway and began walking towards the elevator, "I can guarantee you that no one besides hospital staff knows that you are being released today. I'll be taking you to the hospital's temporarily closed underground parking lot where a car will be waiting for you."

Mikan, holding tightly onto the nurse's arm walked along side her. A few nurses and doctors walked bye, bowing their heads towards Mikan. Sweat trickled down the side of her face. She was a bit tired and had a slight headache, yet she didn't want the nurse to find out. Mikan just wanted to leave the hospital as soon as possible.

She slowly let go of the nurse and did her best to walk by herself. Her eyes caught a slight glimpse of a figure walking very quickly past her, through the hallways, slipping out of her sight when they turned the corner. She stood in front of the elevator, pressing the down button as the nurse stood right behind her. They stood waiting when abruptly, the nurse pulled Mikan back. "Miss Ishikawa. I forgot to tell you something."

Mikan frowned. What was it? The nurse continued, "Well you see, I heard that there has been a person who came here every day, looking for you. Of course, we never let him see you. But he's been coming here every single day now, for over four months since you first came. Next week, I'll be sure to find and tell him that you have been released so that he doesn't waste his time coming here…Miss? Are you okay?"

Mikan's body froze, unable to turn around… She had seen that face before. She couldn't quite remember where, but she knew that…she had met him before. Without even opening her mouth to say a word, she slowly began to turn around. But then her body couldn't move. There stood at the end of the hall, talking to one of the doctors, a man dressed lightly clothed in grey with ruffled dark black hair. Yet, she could only see his back.

She didn't move. She couldn't move. It was almost as though she was held in place by a spell…or…

Her eyes were filled with shock and it looked as if her energy and cheerfulness had been completely drained from her body. The person who was right in front of her…Was it…Her heart beat quickly inside her chest. She couldn't breathe. "N-Natsu-" She let out a faint and hoarse croak from her throat, "N-Natsume…" But her voice was too quiet…Then she watched as he turned around and walked away, slipping away around the corner.

He was just there…He was right…in front of her.

Mikan took a few steps closer and then as quickly as she could, she ran. Although her legs were still aching with pain, she ran around the corner. But suddenly she ceased and stood still. There stood in front of her were twolarge elevators. No one stood in front of the elevator although doctors and nurses and clients busily passed it.

She didn't know but...all she wanted to do at the moment was to see him...But she was scared. She missed him so much that she was afraid to see him. Yet…Her mind was unclear and she was unsure what to do.

Where was he…? Mikan stared at the elevators.

Mikan watched as one of the elevator doors opened. It was empty. Mikan could hear the nurse frantically calling out her name behind her. Without thinking, Mikan darted towards the vacant elevator. 'Get me out of here…Get me out of here…'

She practically leapt into the elevator, stepping as far as she could into the elevator, grabbing the railing that was attached to the back of the elevator.

"M-Mikan! Miss Ishikawa!"

Pressing her finger against the "B" button, Mikan took a few steps back.

She turned around and took a last glimpse of the hospital and the sight of the nurse running towards the elevator door as fast as she could before turning towards the corner, gasping for breath. She leaned her forward against the wall of the elevator, "He was just there…" She kept repeating in her mind.

She stared at the ground and then a voice called out…

"M-Mikan…" A tired and panting voice called behind her.

Mikan's body was immediately petrified. She didn't answer, nor did she even look up. Her body began to shake. She stood there, feeling as if any second now, she would fall down on her knees. Slowly, she turned around, staring at the figure in front of her. Tears seeped through her eyes.

The person stepped into the elevator, panting tiredly as he slipped past the two closing doors. Mikan could only stand there and stare at him. Slowly and quietly, the door closed behind them...


End file.
